The Shadows Within
by Quiet Escapist
Summary: [AU IxK, MxS] As a hanyou, Inuyasha just wants to do his job and make it through the next day undiscovered. But when a girl with unimaginable power falls into his arms...things get a little complicated.
1. So, It Begins

A/N Here is my first Inuyasha story, I have great things planned for this one. It's a bit of a sci-fi background, but the main focus for the story is drama and romance. And because this is just the first chapter, some things aren't going to be explained until later. So for now you only need to know that it takes place in the future, around the year 3075. Other than that, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Inuyasha characters.

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Bright liquid metal began to harden as she pulled the blue flame away from the thin pipe. Turning the gas off with a soft pop, she placed the torch on the makeshift table beside her as she absently wiped the sweat off her brow before removing her goggles. Moving closer to inspect her work, Sango couldn't help but smile at the cleanliness of the join. The satisfying feeling she got from working with metal worked its way through her body, relaxing her and putting her in a good mood.   
  
Walking out from under the ship, she stretched her arms above her head as she took in the buzz of activity around her. The main hangar in which she stood was full of sounds, the majority of them coming from the tools other mechanics around her were using to fix up one of the main ships. The aircraft in question towered at thirty feet, it's large bulky structure illuminated at various points from the people welding. Two other ships were nearby, both of them similar in structure to the one she was working on. All three of them were commonly used for shipping the parts made in the factory next door.   
  
In front of the ships, the main door to the hangar was open letting in the afternoon sunlight. A fresh breeze blew in once in a while, cooling off the people stuck inside and airing out the unnatural smells that came from melting metal. Well, as fresh a breeze as possible considering the air was manufactured to support the life that now flourished on the red planet.   
  
At the opposite end of the long building, a smaller side door was also open, but for a different purpose. The heavy metallic door was only open when Inuyasha was expected to return from one of his runs, making the getaway a bit easier for him. She bit her lip absently wondering if his ship would return in one piece.  
  
A distinct sound came from her stomach, and looking over to the old fashioned wall clock, she noticed that she worked through lunch. Again.   
  
Humming to herself, she made her way to the kitchen moving swiftly around large pieces of metal, wiring and other mechanics. She stopped when she noticed a young man staring at a handful of tools, obviously debating as to which one to use.   
  
His thick black hair was tied back in a small ponytail, similar to her own, and soft brown freckles dotted his round cheeks. A wide green band was sewn onto the sleeve of his mechanic jumpsuit, signifying his status as an apprentice. He chose one of the tools hesitantly and put the rest on the ground before moving towards his work at hand.   
  
"Kohaku!"   
  
He turned to her as she called out. A look of relief flooded over his face as he saw his sister moving towards him.   
  
"When you're putting back on a piece of the exterior, you use this laser," she explained to him, picking up the device from the ground. "It works all the way through the metal. When you use the torch, it looks like you did the job properly, but really, the filler only connects the pieces on the outside. The flame isn't hot enough, so it doesn't seep through and attach on the inside. Basically, your hard work will be for naught in about three days."  
  
He blushed a bit, realizing his mistake. She smiled kindly and put her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"You're doing good," she reassured him. He straightened his posture a bit and returned the smile, reminding her of the boy he used to be.  
  
"Thanks, Sango."  
  
"No prob. Hey, I'm on my way to the kitchen, do you want anything?"  
  
"No. I'm fine for now. I'm almost done my shift anyway."  
  
She nodded as she resumed her trek towards the kitchen. She was happy that Kohaku was beginning to act more like the way he did before their parents died. That was over two years ago.   
  
Her brother had been distraught when he heard about the accident and went into a depressive slump for over a year, leaving the house as little as possible and keeping to himself all the time. She had tried to comfort him as much as possible considering the hectic work schedule she took on, working double shifts almost everyday just so they could afford their rent.   
  
Sango herself couldn't afford to feel sad; she had to take care of her brother. Most times she felt as if the weight of the world were on her shoulders. Her friend Inuyasha had tried to help out the best he could by running her errands and keeping Kohaku company, but his efforts didn't help much in the long run. Eventually she had begun to wear herself out, and it showed in the strained relationships she held with the few friends she had left.  
  
Inuyasha told his older brother about her plight, even though Sango made him promise he wouldn't, and after several phone calls between her and Sesshomaru she had a position set up for her. She was forever grateful, because not only was she working regular hours again, but also her pay had increased substantially because of the risk factor involved in her job.   
  
If she ever told anyone whom she worked for, they believed she worked in a parts manufacturing plant. Not many people knew about Sesshomaru's side business.  
  
Sesshomaru also offered Kohaku a job as an apprentice, which he refused. The older man seemed to understand what her little brother was going through, so he left the offer open. A couple months later Kohaku accepted the job hesitantly. He had been improving ever since.  
  
Sango unzipped the front of her grey one-piece mechanics suit, removing the top half so that it hung about her waist allowing her heated skin to cool. The magenta tank top she wore underneath stuck to her skin, but it was ignored as she searched for something to quell the pangs of hunger. She poked around at the contents in the cupboards before moving to the cooling unit, sighing when she saw very little that could be considered to have any nutritional content.  
  
"Men," she grumbled as she grabbed a lone sandwich and began to eat.   
  
An explosive shot sounded from the main hangar, along with the sound of crackling energy. Shoving the last of her food in her mouth, she bolted over to the main hangar to see what was causing the noise, silently praying that it wasn't was she thought it was.   
  
She choked on what she was chewing when she saw it.  
  
Entering the hangar was one of the company's smaller ships, except it wasn't looking like much of anything at the moment. As it lowered to the ground, billows of black smoke spewed out of the main thrusters and a loud bang sounded from the engine area. Pieces of the exterior were burnt or bent, some even missing, and wiring spilled out from several fist-sized holes. Fusion energy crackled from somewhere inside the back of the ship but stopped as soon as the sputtering engine was shut off. The heavy side door to the hangar closed with a resounding bang, drawing the attention of everyone else in the hangar.  
  
The side door of the small ship opened and Sango watched as a tall man bounded down the ramp, his rugged clothing and long, silver hair only slightly dishevelled compared to the state of the ship. His dog-like ears twitched spastically on the top of his head as he surveyed the damage, muttering a string of curses as he went.  
  
Sango's fists became clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. As her body temperature began to rise, she gritted her teeth in a futile attempt to control her anger.   
  
He's so gonna get it this time, she thought to herself as she stormed up behind him.   
  
"Inuyasha! What the hell did you do to my ship?!"  
  
His ears flattened against his skull as he slowly turned around to face a now fuming Sango. For a brief moment she caught a look on his face that she quickly registered it as guilt. But it suddenly vanished from his face as he quickly tried to replace it with his usual smug, confident smile.  
  
"Keh. Your ship?   
  
She stood beside him now, half a head shorter than him, trying to make herself seem bigger than him with her angered presence.  
  
"Stop being a smart-ass, you know what I mean."  
  
He swallowed hard as he stared at her but said nothing else.   
  
"I spent forever fixing that ship up after the last shipment you ran, and now you bring it back and it's about to fall apart again!"  
  
"It's not my fault!"   
  
"Oh really," she sighed, rolling her eyes away from him as he went into defence mode.   
  
"It's not like I went around looking for someone to fight with! That's not my idea of fun." He snorted as if to emphasize his point.   
  
"Could have fooled me," she muttered under her breath as she moved closer to the ship, trying to visually estimate how long it would take for repair. His ears swivelled in her direction catching the faint words that left her mouth.   
  
"You're just upset because now you think you have to fix it again. Newsflash Sango: there are other mechanics in this room. Have someone else work on it."  
  
"Sesshomaru promised he'd give me THAT ship after it finished two hundred runs. That day is not too far away and I've been looking forward to it, except you seem to be on this path of destruction and now I'm thinking that my ship isn't even going to be around for two hundred runs."  
  
Inuyasha visibly flinched at the sound of his brother's name. She knew she hit him in a soft spot but at the moment she didn't care. He took a moment to regain his composure before flashing her a sly grin.  
  
"I'd like to think that if I came back in the shape your ship's in, you'd be fretting over me the same way."  
  
She laughed dryly, intrigued by the way he tried to change the subject.  
  
"If you came back like that, I wouldn't give a shit, because it wouldn't be me that would have to put you back together again."  
  
A low growl began to reverberate in his chest.  
  
"Some friend you are," he pouted as he began to walk away.  
  
She reached out and grabbed the cool, polished beads around his neck, bringing his face level with hers.   
  
"Some friend you are!" she yelled, pointing at the smoking heap in the hanger while the hanyou beside her tried to cover his sensitive ears with his hands.  
  
"Can you yell any louder, bitch?"  
  
"I wouldn't have to yell if you didn't have such a thick skull, you jerk!"  
  
---------------------------  
  
Sesshomaru re-read the letter he held before glancing up to study the man sitting before him. Across the large desk sat a man, tall in stature though not nearly as tall as Sesshomaru himself. His short, black hair was loosely pulled back into a small ponytail, his clothing neat with clean lines but not stuffy looking for the position he held. His posture indicated that he was calm and relaxed, unlike most people who met with the powerful youkai.  
  
So, the Senate is asking an underground shipping company for assistance, he mused to himself, putting the thin paper in his desk drawer. Interesting indeed, considering the fact that I was sure they weren't aware of our actions.   
  
"Where is the cargo?" he asked, watching the younger man's face for anything that hinted that the man was behaving suspiciously.   
  
"In safe keeping," he calmly replied, his voice low and smooth. "They ask that the departure be in two days. Will a ship be ready?"  
  
Sesshomaru nodded once but said nothing more. There must be a reason why they didn't ask to use the military's aircraft. If what this man said was true, and I am almost sure it was because I couldn't smell any hint of dishonesty, then the Senate has come specifically to us for help.   
  
But why ask the one's working against you for help?   
  
Perhaps I would be able to solve this irritating riddle if I were informed as to what exactly the cargo was. Insolent man, hiding behind you're obligation to secrecy.   
  
His hands clenched slightly on the chair's armrests.   
  
"Can I see the ship?" the other man asked breaking Sesshomaru's line of thought.  
  
The youkai raised a thin eyebrow slightly at the question, but stood motioning for the man to follow him to the other side of his grand office. Standing before a large panel of dark grey glass that covered the majority of the wall, he twisted a small knob on the wall, the grey fading until the panel was crystal clear giving both men a view of the main hangar below.  
  
A smile broke out on one man's face as he took in the scene, while the other betrayed all inner emotions with his expressionless face.   
  
Smoke was filling the hangar as it escaped from various holes on one of the smaller ships while mechanics and labourers watched a quarrel between a man and a woman. Sesshomaru's eyebrow twitched involuntarily when he recognized the young man as his little brother.   
  
Silently, Sesshomaru thanked his assistant for suggesting a sound-proof viewing panel. He pushed away the anger that was building in his chest as he regained composure over his inner emotions. He turned to his guest and pointed downwards at his younger brother who was currently covering his ears while he shouted obscenities.   
  
"He will be your pilot," he explained calmly and then pointed to the smoking mass in the hangar. "And that will be your ship."  
  
The younger man paled as he registered in his mind what had just been said. Sesshomaru said nothing more as he motioned for the man to follow him out the door, though he did feel oddly satisfied with the man's reaction.

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A/N So have I peaked your interest? If so, I'll hopefully have the next chapter up by next Monday. Until then, please review and tell me what you think. Constructive critism is really appreciated, but review even if it's just to say that you read it. Thanks.


	2. The Moment Everything Changed

The Shadows Within  
  
Ch.2  
  
By: Quiet Escapist  
  
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Sango stifled a yawn as she slowly walked down the ramp of the newly restored ship. Sleep tugged at the back of her eyes and her body longed for a rest after the past couple of sleep deprived nights. In fact, she had been awake most of the night, the first rays of morning light now beginning to creep into the hangar from the smaller side door. She did a quick visual scan of the ship, making sure everything was in place.  
  
_Just 23 more runs and you're mine_, she thought, letting the idea of owning her own ship play out in her mind. The ship in question wasn't sleek or streamlined like the newer models out today, but it had the parts where it counted.   
  
After a few weeks of working at her new job, Sesshomaru had asked her to work on the team to modify the ship before Inuyasha started taking it out. Ever since then, she felt a connection with the ship. She knew it sounded stupid. You couldn't have a connection with an inanimate object, but she couldn't help being drawn to the ship. Whenever it needed repairs, she was right there, ready to bring it back up to peak condition.   
  
Sesshomaru must have noticed her fixation with the aircraft, because one day as she was about to leave he took her aside to speak with her. He explained the rule about the smaller ships that Inuyasha took out for his runs, how they were only used for two hundred runs and then were dismantled. He told her that keeping them around for any longer would raise the risk of some sort of official being able to trace the ship back to their location. Sango mentioned that she thought that was just wasting a good ship, and the older man's lip quirked up slightly in what could be called a smile for him.   
  
He then let her know that he already decided he would give her the ship before it was to be taken away, under the condition that she would alter the exterior and change the chip in the onboard computer so that the ship's former identity remained a secret. She was stunned to say the least, and all she could do was muster out a, "yes, thank you."  
  
From then on, each time Inuyasha returned she would mentally check off the number of runs left before the ship fell under her command, each time becoming more and more possessive of the aircraft.   
  
Sango was drawn out of her past reflections when she felt someone standing beside her. She turned and saw Inuyasha standing there.   
  
His little white dog-ears drooped down the side of his head, his golden eyes expressing to her that he was sorry for being such a jerk. Looking into those eyes, she felt the anger she previously held for him begin to slip away.   
  
"Hey," he said softly. She smiled and playfully punched him in the arm letting him know he was forgiven. He feigned hurt and she laughed genuinely, then motioned towards the ship.   
  
"I started her up and ran a systems check. Everything's running smoothly."  
  
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you," he stated as he moved closer to inspect the work for himself. "There's nothing you can't fix." He slid her a confident grin and she shook her head.  
  
"I'm just a mechanic, not a god. Maybe you'll finally realize someday when you break something and I can't fix it," she joked as she poked him in the ribs. He muttered a 'feh' before turning around to watch the group of the people entering the far end of the hangar.   
  
Three labour workers were wheeling in a large metal container while a man and a woman slowly trailed behind them. The pushcart the container was wheeled in on squeaked as it slid across the smooth floor, drawing the attention of the few people that were working in the hangar so early in the morning.  
  
"I would have taken her out for a quick test run, but, you know," she said, nodding towards the group.   
  
As the labourers made their way closer to the ship, Sango estimated that the pod-like container stood at almost six feet and was probably four feet in circumference. A heavy latch hung at the side of the cold metal structure, an electronic touch pad lock attached to the latch.   
  
An involuntary chill ran down Sango's spine.  
  
Inuyasha growled beside her, seconding her sentiments. "I don't like not knowing what I'm carrying," he said, his dark brows drawn together in a scowl as he glared at the container. Sango nodded.   
  
Some of the warm rays of morning light hit the flawless metallic surface of the container. For a second the structure didn't look as cold and harsh, but it still didn't seem any less threatening.   
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
He ignored his friend as his gaze turned to the man and woman who had been trailing behind before. They had stopped walking halfway across the hangar and now carried on a whispered conversation between themselves. Inuyasha's glowing amber eyes narrowed on the pair, his ears perking forward in an attempt to eavesdrop.  
  
The pair in front of them split their ways a few moments later, the petite woman heading back toward the entrance door, the taller man making his way towards them. His dark hair was pulled back, though some of the shorter locks had escaped the tie so that they fell about his forehead. The outfit he wore was business attire, a long sleeved navy blue shirt coupled with black pants.  
  
The hanyou beside her grumbled to himself, and Sango felt it was safe to assume that he hadn't heard anything they said.   
  
"Be nice," she whispered, knowing his acute ears would pick up her words. The only response she got was a mumbled 'keh', but it was good enough.   
  
-------------------  
  
Miroku watched as the woman walked away, the hairs on the back of his neck raised. Something about that woman put him off. Her pale complexion and empty eyes coupled with her fine white hair and white pantsuit...it just gave him the creeps.  
  
So much so that he couldn't even enjoy her womanly figure. He frowned inwardly. _Pity._  
  
She had come to see him off and give him last minute instructions on how to open the touch pad lock on the cargo, programmed to only work using his thumb print as identification. On their way over, she told him that she worked in the Senate, like him, but in the research and development department whereas he worked in public relations. He hadn't seen her before so he figured she must have been new, seeing as he was sure he had met all the women in the Senate.   
  
Miroku felt an uneasiness settle in his stomach, but he brushed it off as nerves. It was his first job outside the walls of the Senate building, but that wasn't what was bothering him. He knew why he had been specifically chosen for this errand. His smooth, persuasive voice had managed to get him out of sticky situations before, and if ever someone with a calm demeanour and a knack for averting trouble was needed, it was now.   
  
What bothered him was the purpose of the errand. It didn't sit well with him. What was locked inside the container, and where they were taking it...  
  
Miroku pushed the distressing thoughts aside as he turned and began to make his way towards his transportation. Standing in front of the ship were two people, a man and a woman, but Miroku's attention was more drawn to the woman. He moved casually, fighting the suggestive grin that was trying to make it's way onto his face.   
  
_And just when I need something to brighten my day, a beauty appears before me._  
  
Her dark brown hair was haphazardly pulled back in a high ponytail, a fringe of bangs reaching just above her eyes. The soft lines of her face somehow seemed familiar to him. The standard grey mechanic's suit she wore was stained and worn but it did complement her figure, emphasizing her pert breasts and contouring her slim hips. She had the front zipped up to just above her chest, a thin strip of magenta fabric peeking out from underneath.   
  
A light bulb went of in Miroku's head as he recognized her as the woman he had seen when he made his initial visit to Sesshomaru. Beside her stood the man he had seen her arguing with, his own clothing complementing his tall, lean stature. His black vest worn over the open necked t-shirt sat well on his broad shoulders, the dark brown pants following the lines of his long legs down to his thick black boots. Upon his face he wore a scowl, and Miroku guessed that it was a perpetual facial expression for him.   
  
He stood before the couple now extending his hand out to the man with silver hair, introducing himself. Inuyasha reluctantly took his hand, shaking it only once before letting it drop. Miroku just ignored the man's foul mood, repeating the process with woman who smiled back warmly.   
  
"Will you be joining us?" he asked her still holding onto her hand gently. "I'm sure that the journey would be much more enjoyable with your company."  
  
A small blush graced her cheeks. He couldn't help but take it as encouragement.  
  
"No. I'm just a mechanic."  
  
He brought up his other hand so that now both his large hands were cradling her own delicate ones. He moved a little closer to her, adding a suggestive hint to his voice.   
  
"Surely if I had know there were mechanics as lovely as you, I would have given the profession more thought."   
  
The effect his words had on her was immediate, thought not quite what he had in mind. She rolled her eyes and groaned, wrenching her hand from his grasp.  
  
"Save it," she snapped before heading towards the ship. "Inuyasha, I'm going to make sure they got the cargo secured."  
  
Miroku let out a silent sigh of defeat. _Perhaps I pushed it a little too quickly that time._  
  
As he watched her move away, Miroku admitted to himself that he was sorry she chose to leave, but at the same time he was pleased to see her go. His gaze dropped down to her backside, his eyes greedily taking in the way her hips swayed slightly when she walked.  
  
A low growling sound from his side drew his attention away from the girl. He turned to Inuyasha and gave him an innocent smile, wondering to himself how a man could sound so much like an animal.   
  
And that's when he noticed the furry appendages atop Inuyasha's head.   
  
"You're a hanyou," he thought out loud, not realizing the words had left his mouth until Inuyasha's brows drew together in a scowl.   
  
"Yeah. So?" he snorted, folding his arms across his chest. "You got a problem with that?"  
  
"No, not me." Miroku held up his hands in a pacifying gesture before pondering out loud again. "But the rest of the world does."  
  
Inuyasha bristled at that last comment and glared at Miroku for a moment with piercing amber eyes before turning abruptly to head towards the aircraft.  
  
"Well the rest of the world can bite my ass," the hanyou muttered under his breath.  
  
Miroku smirked to himself as he followed him. _With a moody pilot like that, this trip may prove itself to be somewhat interesting.  
_  
----------------  
  
_This trip is gonna be hell!  
  
I have to ride with a fucking pervert. Could this day get any worse...and where's my hat?  
_  
The heavy black boots strapped to Inuyasha's feet thumped as he stormed up the ramp to the ship. He stopped at the top just inside the doorway, growling as Miroku passed, letting him know who was in charge here. The three labourers passed and he leaned against the doorframe waiting for Sango to get off board as well. He ran his hands through his hair, trying to remember where he last left him hat.  
  
_Ah, yes. Back home. Some good it does me there.  
_  
Miroku's cheerful whistling from the front of the ship carried to Inuyasha's ears, making the urge to throttle the man even stronger.  
  
_That idiot's pushing his luck_.  
  
Not only had he ogled his best friend with no shame, he insulted his pilot which was always a bad move. Thinking about the last comment Miroku said made Inuyasha fume. As if he didn't realize that being a hanyou was as good as being a universal terrorist. Gee, he'd only been that way all his life.  
  
He shook his head trying to push aside the man's words, thinking about their destination. A medical base stationed on a small planet in the next solar system. He'd been there before, several times in fact, to deliver medical supplies that were banned by the government. The whole place stunk of chemicals. It made him sick.   
  
He sighed, finding that thinking about the destination didn't exactly make him feel any better. Especially about the fact that it would take the whole day just to get there, and that was only if they didn't run into any problems.   
  
_I just want to get this run over and done with.   
_  
A sharp smell wafted past his nose catching his attention. His senses went on high alert. Inhaling deeply, trying to pinpoint the scent, he racked his memory for some sort of indication to what the smell was. It was illusive, but for some reason it seemed a bit familiar.  
  
Sango came up beside him noticing the way he suddenly tensed. She watched him curiously as he tested the air, his ears twitching from side to side trying to catch something beyond the normal sounds that filled that hangar. His strained his senses, frustrated that he couldn't put his finger on what was making him so tense.   
  
A muffled explosion sounded from a distance, and Inuyasha quickly determined that it came from the factory next door. Not more than a moment later, another explosion went off, this one closer sending a wave of booming sound through the air. Inuyasha flattened his ears to his head to try and block out the sound, looking up to Sesshomaru's office above them just in time to see the large viewing panel explode, raining shards of glass down upon the people in the hangar. Flames followed right after, a wall of red heat quickly spreading out from the office, latching on to anything it touched. People working in the hangar began to scream and flee for the nearest exit while the flames reached out after them.  
  
Inuyasha instinctively grabbed Sango by the arm, pulling her away from the door and yanking down on the lever to close it. The ramp closed inwardly, just before the flames made their way into the ship. Both of them ran to the cockpit, acting on instinct and the fear that pumped through their veins. They each fell into the a seat in the cockpit, madly working the controls in front of them as an alarm went off inside the ship.  
  
Behind them sitting in a couch-like seat that sat against the wall, Miroku's eyes widened in horror as he watched flames lick at the large front window.  
  
"Main thrusters on! Fuel cells loaded! Get this thing off the ground!" Sango barked out stats, furiously flipping switches while Inuyasha took the control, raising the ship of the ground with a startling jerk and steering it towards the side hangar door.   
  
The large ships that occupied the other end of the hangar glowed from the flames that engulfed them, small shots of electricity bursting through the searing hot exterior.   
  
"Secondary thrusters on! Boosters ready! Move it already!"   
  
Inuyasha thrust the controls forward, jolting the three people, the sudden pressure forcing them further into their seats. One of the ships behind them burst in two, another wall of flames chasing their ship as it shot through the hangar door, up and above to safety in the clouds.  
  
The blood rushed in Inuyasha's ears as he pushed the ship though the thin atmosphere around the red planet. His heart threatened to pound out of his chest, the youkai blood in him pumping a steady heat through his shaky limbs. Taking a deep breath, he slowed down the ship slightly, moving it along now as a steady pace as the white clouds disappeared behind them.   
  
He heard Sango trying to steady her breathing beside him, her own heart pounding just as loudly as his. She leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes as she ran a hand through her bangs. Behind them, Miroku shifted forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees as he dropped his head into his hands.  
  
Instantly when Inuyasha remembered the perverted passenger, his thoughts turned to the container in the cargo hold of the ship. His blood began to surge again, red-hot anger rushing through his already worked up body just thinking about the steel structure. Hastily, he typed a few commands into the central computer and let go of the controls, the ship settling in to autopilot. He shoved himself out of the worn seat and stormed to the back of the ship, his blood becoming more and more heated with each step he took.  
  
Sango called out after him, but he didn't hear her, his mind too focused on one thing. The one thing everyone knew nothing about. The thing that had somehow been the cause of the explosion that was burning the hangar to the ground at that very moment.   
  
He had known there was something wrong about the whole thing, this whole shipment Sesshomaru agreed to take on. If he had just listened to his instincts, they wouldn't be in this fucking mess.  
  
He shoved open the heavy door to the cargo hold, letting it swing on it's hinges as he moved stealthily towards the steel container propped against the wall, numerous thick straps holding it in place. He lashed out, snapping each one of the straps with his sharp claws in one fell swoop.   
  
Footsteps from behind him became louder as Sango and Miroku entered into the cargo room. He heard them stop just inside the doorway as they watched him, unsure of what to do. Inuyasha hovered over the lock, fingering the smooth device, trying to determine if he could disable it with just his claws.   
  
_No more mysteries. This ends here!  
_  
"What are you doing?" Sango's voice interrupted his thoughts and he whipped around to look at her, his hand clenching on the lock.  
  
"What do you think?! Finding out what the fuck's in here!" He spun around again, focusing his attention on the lock in front of him. The touch pad glowed a fierce blue, the buttons on it illuminated making it obvious now to the hanyou that there was only one way to open it.   
  
"Open it." He turned to face Miroku, whose facial expression had taken on a rather calm appearance at his command. Just looking at the man's placid face irritated Inuyasha even more, his claws itching to rip through something to satisfy his anger.  
  
"No. I can't."  
  
Inuyasha raised his eyebrows mockingly, the youkai in him laughing at the challenge in the man's words. "No?"  
  
"I can't. I have orders not to-" The air suddenly left Miroku's lungs when he was thrown roughly against the wall, the firm pressure from the hanyou's hand tightening around his neck. Inuyasha brought his face mere inches from the other man's, his lips twisting in a threatening snarl, his enlarged canines now painfully obvious to Miroku. The ripe scent of fear that came off the man Inuyasha held hit him in waves. His youkai side fed off of it, revelling in the way the man trembled slightly but remained defiant.   
  
He tightened his grip on Miroku's neck, causing the man to gasp for breath. Sango whimpered behind him.  
  
"I don't think you understand. That wasn't just a building that blew up down there. That wasn't just my brother's business,." he growled, pausing to shift his fingers slightly on Miroku's neck, pointed claws now pinching the supple skin.   
  
"That was my life! That's all I fucking had!" Slowly he increased the pressure again, his razor sharp nails piercing the flesh slightly, small red beads forming under his nails. A wicked smirk took its place on Inuyasha's face. "So, are you going to open it or should I just rip off your thumb and do it myself?"  
  
Miroku lowered his head slightly and Inuyasha took it for a nod, releasing the man and letting him drop to the floor. He placed his hands firmly on his hips as he waited impatiently, glaring at Miroku as he slowly got up, rubbing his throbbing neck and feeling the blood that escaped. Inuyasha barked, startling Miroku into moving faster. Sango stood as far off to the side as possible, never having seen her friend in such a rage before.  
  
Miroku touched his thumb to the touch pad and then pressed several buttons allowing the lock the click open. He stepped aside, Inuyasha taking his place beside the container as he threw off the lock and ripped open the latch that held the door shut.  
  
Moving to stand in front of the container, with one strong thrust he threw open the door. A cloud of white steam burst out from inside, stinging Inuyasha's eyes and overpowering his nose. The scent brought a dizzy feeling to his head, and before he could step out of the steam's way something heavy fell into his chest, knocking him down to the hard floor.  
  
He reacted immediately, grabbing the foreign object off him, rolling over and forcing it to the ground. He shook his head trying to dislodge the disconnected feeling caused by the steam. He looked downward to the thing on the floor that he was straddling.   
  
Each of his hands were clasped around a thin arm, his mind slowly registering the other familiar body parts as his eyes scanned the thing below him. Two arms, two legs, a torso...   
  
A baggy white t-shirt and a pair of green shorts covered the petite frame. Slowly his mind pieced together the information, confirming to him that he was sitting on some sort of human... but why would a human be cargo?  
  
_What the fuck? Is this a joke?_  
  
He turned his attention upwards to the person's face, cautiously brushing aside the thick tousled black locks that covered the facial features. Once he got a clear view of the feminine features that adorned the face, he felt his body jump slightly. Her eyes were closed, long lashes fanning across smooth pale cheeks. Rosy fine lips were slightly parted below her straight nose.  
  
Sango gasped as she moved closer, Miroku moving to stand by her side. Inuyasha's head spun at the sudden realization, his mind coming out of the fuzzy haze created by the steam.  
  
_It's a girl...  
_  
.  
  
.  
  
------------------  
  
A/N That. Was. Really. Long. So anyways, there you go, chapter two! I've decided that I'm going to update this story every Monday. No sooner, no later (hopefully, lol). That way I have enough time to write throughout the week and edit on the weekend.   
  
Just a little thanks to my four reviewers. Writing this was a lot easier knowing that someone other than myself was reading this story and enjoying it, lol. So thanks so very much! And Lady Mac...does this chapter sorta answer your question? (hmmm...) :)  
  
Okay, so please take a second to review, even if it is just to say that you read it. Or even better, give me some constructive criticism to help me better my writing skills. So thanks for reading and until next Monday, ta! 


	3. Finding the Truth

Disclaimer: I always tend to forget these...but I don't forget the fact that I don't own the characters.   
  
-------------------  
  
The Shadows Within  
  
Ch.3  
  
By: Quiet Escapist  
  
-------------------  
  
Inuyasha sat dumbfounded for some moments later after the realization hit him. It just didn't make sense. A human, a girl no less, locked container that was totally inescapable from the inside, so much so that it could have trapped a full demon with ease. Was she that dangerous?   
  
His eyes darted over her petite body, and he decided that if she was dangerous it couldn't be because of her strength. He lightly squeezed her thin arms, testing the way the flesh and muscle gave way to the pressure.   
  
If she was an android, even though it was illegal to produce them, she had to be the most advanced model he'd ever seen. But then, if she really were an android she wouldn't be giving off the small amount of heat that she was.   
  
Cautiously he leaned forward so that he held his face beside hers, and he inhaled deeply. Her scent was faint, but he contributed the faintness to that fact that he nose had yet to recover from the gas he had inhaled. Still, he made out the human scent which did away the thought that she wasn't real, but in turn brought on millions of other possibilities. His head swam as the thoughts drown out everything else around him, his focus solely on the girl beneath him.   
  
He didn't even realize he had been pushed onto the ground until he heard Sango's scolding voice.  
  
"Inuyasha! Get off her!"   
  
The hanyou's grasp on the world around him returned. He watched curiously as Sango knelt beside the girl brushing her hair in a soothing, almost protective manner. She stopped and let one of her hands drift to the girl's throat, checking for the faint pulse of life.   
  
"She's alive..." she muttered to no one in particular.   
  
Her thin brows drew together and Inuyasha assumed she was having the same thoughts he was. She turned her questioning gaze to Miroku who had taken a kneeling position on the ground beside her.  
  
A strained expression came across his face, and both Sango and Inuyasha could tell he trying to figure out how to get himself out of the mess. The annoyance that Inuyasha previously held for Miroku returned, though not as strong as before.   
  
Nevertheless, he leapt up from where he sat on the floor, his mind still slightly befuddled by the earlier thoughts though it was clearing now that his focus was elsewhere.   
  
"You wanna start explaining now, or do I have to come over there and make you like before?" He cracked his knuckles in a threatening manner, even though fighting with the man again didn't hold the same pleasure as it had before. At the moment he just wanted to sit down and get a handle on the events of the past hour.   
  
Miroku sighed before forcing a smile.  
  
"I guess what they say about half-demons being unstable is true, judging by this morning's events."  
  
"Keh. Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint you by not living up to my name," he growled as he took a step towards the other man. Miroku was quick to act, raising his hands in a gesture of peace before Inuyasha could move another inch.   
  
"I guess I have no choice but to explain," he paused, as if deciding just how much he wanted to explain.  
  
"First off, she's unconscious at the moment, but I'm not sure for how long. The chamber was filled with a enough gas to keep her that way for the whole trip and then some, but now that she's been removed, I'm not sure how long it'll take to wear off."  
  
Inuyasha nodded, looking up to the container to find the door had been shut. Miroku must have closed it.   
  
A sudden jolt of the ship sent everyone to the ground.   
  
Inuyasha practically landed on top of the poor motionless girl on the floor. Sango however, had her short tumble broken when she fell into Miroku, both of them now splayed across the floor. She blushed furiously at the compromising position she found herself in and moved to get up only to have the ship jerk again, causing her to fall on the man beneath her once more.  
  
Inuyasha quickly got up and bolted to the cockpit to find out what was wrong now, leaving the pair behind to help themselves off the floor. He managed to take his seat at the main controls before a shriek resounded through the ship.  
  
"Pervert!"   
  
The hanyou clenched his teeth at the thought of Miroku groping his friend, but he decided she was a big girl and could handle her own problems. Besides, he had other things to deal with.   
  
His sharp eyes quickly scanned the vast expanse of space that the large front window gave him a view of, noticing off to the far left the white border patrol ship that had stunned their ship. The stun blasts had not only been the cause of the shocks, but it also stopped the ship in it's tracks. A glowing blue light from the tractor beam surrounded the ship keeping it a locked distance from the border patrol.  
  
_Shit! This day just keeps going from bad to worse._   
  
Sango took her place beside him, her face a deep shade of crimson though he was sure it was not from embarrassment. She shot him a nervous look after she noticed the other ship.   
  
"The fire from the hangar explosion must have knocked out the cloaking device," he said. She nodded and made a move to get up but he stopped her, his hand on her shoulder pressing her back down into the seat. "We can't fix it right now."  
  
He flipped a flashing switch above him, opening the communication link between the two ships.   
  
"What?" he barked, settling his hands on the controls in front of him.   
  
Miroku came up from the cargo room carrying the girl in his arms as he took his seat behind them. He sported a bright red handprint on his cheek, and Inuyasha couldn't fight the smirk that spread across his face.   
  
"Sir, you're not allowed to leave this sector without proper ID. Return your ship to the departing checkpoint in the Mars atmosphere so we can run a proper identification check."  
  
The monotone voice crackled through the speakers in the cockpit, irritating the hanyou's sensitive ears. His hands tightened their grip on the controls as he did some quick thinking.   
  
Not too far ahead of them, the asteroid belt around Mars began, millions of odd shaped rocks floating through the thick darkness. Usually he was able to get by border patrol with the help of the cloaking device which would prevent their ship from being displayed on any other ship's radar system, and refract objects around the ship so that it appeared invisible. When it was on, he could either take the long route under the belt or sneak through the departing tunnel that led a safe straight path through the belt.  
  
_But now that it's not working..._  
  
"Come again, I didn't hear you. Bad static," Inuyasha shouted, stalling for time as he formed a plan in his mind.  
  
The voice filled the room again as Inuyasha motioned for Sango to look at the asteroid belt. It took her a few moments before she was able to deduce what he was planning to do. She shook her head violently, her long black ponytail flipping behind her. Her friend nodded, a smirk coming upon his lips before he turned his attention back to the border patrol ship.  
  
"Fine, we'll turn back to the checkpoint."  
  
"Confirmed. Releasing the tracking beam."   
  
The glowing blue light around the ship dissipated. Inuyasha counted to three before he thrust the controls forward, the main thrusters roaring to life at the sudden movement, forcing the ship ahead and away from the patrol ship.   
  
"What are you doing?!" The fear was evident is Sango's words as she cringed in the seat beside him.  
  
"Listen, if we went with them they'd identify the ship and then we'd be in really big trouble." He pushed aside the violent images of the burning building they left behind; moving the controls smoothly in his firm grip, piloting the ship between the smaller rocks at the beginning of the belt. "They won't follow us in here. Trust me, they're chicken shits."   
  
The rocks that floated past them became larger as they moved further into asteroid belt, and Inuyasha took to pulling sharply on the controls, sending them soaring past the immense boulders in their path. One of the massive asteroids careened out of no where and headed straight for the small ship, causing the pilot to jerk hard on the controls to try and pass by safely. The metal exterior of the ship came into contact with the rock, a thick crunching noise come from the left side.  
  
"Inuyasha! You're going to kill us!"   
  
"Am not! I've done this before. Not shut up and let me fly."   
  
He winced as he recalled the state of the ship after the last time he took it through the meteor field. He had barely made it out that time. It wasn't something that he enjoyed piloting through, but if the need arose he wouldn't complain.   
  
The atmosphere in the cockpit became thick with tension and fear. Inuyasha decided a distraction was needed.  
  
"Miroku, you were explaining..."  
  
Inuyasha jerked hard on the controls again bypassing another mammoth chunk of space rock.  
  
"You want me to continue now?" Miroku choked out.  
  
"That's what I was asking wasn't it?" he snorted back.   
  
He glanced behind him quickly, momentarily catching the way Miroku seemed to be mesmerized by the scene outside the front window.  
  
"Well?"  
  
His keen ears picked up a shuffling noise coming from where Miroku sat and then a few electronic noises; he assumed Miroku was looking at some sort of data file on a touch pad similar to the electronic lock.  
  
"Kagome Higurashi. Female. Age 19. Born on planet Earth, in the America district. Previously resided with-"  
  
"Yeah yeah yeah, just tell me why you're taking her to that medical base."   
  
"That's a bit of a long story..."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere."  
  
An audible sigh came from Miroku. "Remember, this is classified information-"  
  
"Just get on with it already!"  
  
"A week ago, one of the Senate's global energy scans on Earth picked up some odd fluctuations in a suburban area just outside of Seattle. Upon closer inspection they found the source to be from this girl, so she was watched closely for a few days, constantly being monitored and having her actions recorded. They deduced that the fluctuations became wilder, more unpredictable whenever she had a strong emotional response to something. The fluctuations aren't felt by most people because it's such a high frequency energy, but it didn't matter in the long run. She was deemed dangerous... because you can't do away with emotions, right?"  
  
"I'm guessing she didn't go with them out of her own freewill right?"  
  
"No. She doesn't even know about...anything. She was taken from her house in the middle of the night."  
  
"So if she's so dangerous, why is she being taken to a medical base?" Sango asked softly, struck by the things Miroku had told them already. The tension that had previously stiffened her body was gone. She made herself comfortable in her chair, her attention solely on the words spoken by Miroku instead of the boulders flying past them outside.  
  
"Med Base 00157, Research Center for Studies Relating to Humanity. I'm not exactly sure what goes on there, but I know she's being taken to have her memories erased," he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and fore-finger. He rolled his shoulders back casually, trying to release the tension that had begun to form across his shoulders.   
  
"The members of the Senate came to the consensus that it would be much safer that way. To have her memories erased and then put in isolation would greatly decrease the risk of the energy releasing itself or becoming released by some other person. It would also make it much easier for her to be monitored."  
  
Inuyasha's stomach churned as Miroku's words bore a hole in his head. _Memories erased... isolation... to be monitored...   
_  
Losing his concentration, the ship came into contact with another asteroid, a screeching sound coming from above.  
  
Sango jumped at the sound, but ignored it as the conversation was too intriguing as horrible as it all sounded.   
  
"What kind of energy is it?" She leaned forward in her seat, cocking her head to the side thoughtfully.  
  
"We don't know."  
  
"Keh. Some 'research' department you got there."  
  
"We know there are two energies. One surrounds the other, like a sort of containment... as far as I know the department didn't have any methods to get more readings on the inner energy without breaking through the outer. The people at the med base have such methods so they're going to deal with it."   
  
"So no one knows what this energy can do?"  
  
Miroku shook his head solemnly. The small cockpit fell silent, the only sounds heard were the constant whirring of the engines and the slight shifting of the group, each of them uncomfortable to some degree with the information given to them.  
  
"Do you realize how fucking messed up this all is?"   
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Never mind."  
  
-------------------  
  
Miroku opened one eye lazily as he lay on the couch-like seat to glance over at the pilot. Inuyasha was leaning back in his seat, his legs stretched out with his feet resting firmly on the console in front of him. Clawed fingers petted the exposed strands of beads around his neck, removed from where they had hidden under his worn white t-shirt. His ears moved sporadically on his head, catching noises Miroku's human ears could not. His amber eyes took on a distant look as he became fully consumed with his thoughts, staring ahead into the inky expanse ahead.   
  
An unsettling feeling took it's place in Miroku's stomach; it was probably safe to assume that what Inuyasha was thinking was somehow related to the information explained to him earlier.   
  
Miroku frowned and tried to pushed aside the thoughts about the girl, knowing it did no good to dwell on things he couldn't change. He tried to conjure up images of the events that took place after the weighty discussion, finding that they were more light-hearted and set the gnawing feeling in his stomach at ease.   
  
After the exciting and somewhat bumpy trip through the asteroid belt had come to an end, Sango ran a systems check and found there was more damage caused by the fire and the rocks than she originally thought. It wasn't possible for them to make it all the way to the base with the internal damage they sustained; they would have to make a stop on the way to have the ship repaired.  
  
To Miroku's delight, an argument ensued between the two friends on where they should make a stop. Eventually Sango won, a confident smile taking it's place on her rosy pink lips. The coordinates on the auto-pilot were changed to that of a large fuel supplier, Tanaka Fuels Inc, on the moon Titan.   
  
Inuyasha pouted for some time afterwards, muttering some choice words under his breath, some of them sounding like 'leaving the second the ship's fixed' and 'that shit hole reeks like the fucking wolf".  
  
Exhaustion finally caught up with the mechanic, so Sango moved to a small room near the cargo hold where two cots were set up. The girl, Kagome, still dead to the world, was carried into the room by the hanyou. Before she left, Sango shot Miroku an icy stare, and he knew well enough to stay away from the room where the two girls slept.  
  
_Apparently she didn't believe me when I told her my hand slipped... well, at least I think it slipped that time._   
  
He absently rubbed his abused cheek, still a little surprised that she had managed to slap him so hard. When her palm made contact with his cheek the sound reminded him of a whip cracking, which seemed a little odd considering there wasn't a whip in sight. It wasn't until seconds later when the searing pain hit him that he understood what happened.   
  
A woman had never hit him like that before...at least not that hard  
  
Miroku suddenly realized he was unconsciously staring at the pilot until Inuyasha turned to him, a scowl taking over his face again.  
  
"What?!"  
  
Miroku smiled innocently, closing his eyes again. "Nothing."  
  
"Oi."  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Pass me that thing...I want to see it again."  
  
_That thing?_ The dark haired man drew a blank for a moment, only realizing what the hanyou wanted when he pointed a clawed finger at it. Miroku reached to the ground to pick up the palm sized data pad that had been forgotten. "This thing?"  
  
"Yes, pass it."  
  
"You mean, the Data Pad?" he teased, testing Inuyasha's patience.  
  
"Just pass it already!"  
  
He tossed the compact device to Inuyasha who caught it with one hand and fiddled with it for a bit before a small hologram appeared just above the handheld device. He gingerly set it down on the console in front of him, his bows furrowing as he stared at the holographic image of the girl projecting from the data pad. The airy blue image kept his attention for some time as he watched it intensely, his eyes locked on the small glowing pink orb that rested in the girl's chest.   
  
The unknown energy.  
  
An annoying little voice inside him told Miroku that he should be worried about the things he had said, telling these people everything in the classified documents. He could lose his job if the Senate found out.  
  
He yawned, unbuttoning the top of his navy blue dress shirt and rolling up the sleeves before resting his hands behind his head like a make-shift pillow. If he was completely honest with himself, he wasn't sure if he cared that he might lose his job.   
  
He knew that he should be; it was his only source of income and decent jobs were hard to come by these days, but working alongside stuffy government officials was tedious work. Lots of paperwork to be filled out, conferences to attend, important phone calls that always seemed to go in circles. For someone who worked in the public relations department, he didn't actually relate much with the public.  
  
It wasn't even his profession of choice, though in truth his choice was still unknown to himself. His father worked in the Senate, following in the footsteps of his own father, thus giving Miroku the opportunity to follow the path set before him. Not wanting to disappoint the man he looked up to, he took the offered job and went on with life.   
  
Most of the time he didn't take interest in the issues the Senate cared about, or he completely disagreed with their actions. Like this trip.   
  
After he accepted the job, only knowing that he would be leaving the planet for some time, he found out the particulars of the 'cargo' and was immediately disgusted.   
  
But you can't really fight a government that controls an entire solar system, so he did his best to just ignore the unnerving feeling in his stomach and move on.   
  
The only thing about the job that he really cared about though was the paycheck. It made it possible for him to do the things he wanted, like travel. 'Made it possible' being the key words because with his hectic work schedule and few vacation days, travelling wasn't something that could be fit in anywhere.  
  
_But the women come in at a close second though....who knew there were so many fine ladies under one roof.  
_  
There was no stopping the grin that spread across his face when the images of his co-workers formed in his mind. The women smiled at him, some twirling a strand of silky hair around their finger, some blushing in an almost virginal way. All of their curvaceous bodies, complete with ample breasts tucked underneath suit jackets and firm rears wrapped snugly in skirts, gave him a feast for the eyes.   
  
Now that he thought about it...going to work really wasn't _that_ bad.  
  
A harsh voice broke through his line of thought.  
  
"Will you stop that?!"  
  
"Stop what?" Miroku asked innocently and opened his eyes, noticing the annoyed look on Inuyasha's face.   
  
"You know what."  
  
"Inuyasha, you can't stop a person from having his own thoughts," Miroku pointed out only to have Inuyasha smirk confidently in return.  
  
"On my ship I can, so if I catch you with that look on your face again I'm throwing you out." He turned his seat away from Miroku to face the window, the old chair squeaking as it moved.   
  
They were fast approaching Titan, the hazy blue atmosphere around the moon illuminating it's presence against the endless expanse of black sky. It's surface was dotted with small groups of lighted areas, cities presumably.   
  
"Go wake up Sango. We'll be landing soon."  
  
Miroku raised his eyebrows at the command, especially after what Inuyasha had just said, but kept his mouth shut as he stood up and stretched before sauntering towards the small room where the girls slept.  
  
"Miroku."  
  
He turned around and Inuyasha pierced him with a fierce gaze that immediately told him that if he tried anything funny, he'd be missing some very important limbs.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
........................  
  
A/N There it is, chapter 3. I'm sorry if it's a bit sucky. It was a kind of forced; my inspiration was elsewhere. Anyhow, tell me how I'm doing, I always appreciate reviews (but then, who doesn't?). Also, I can take constructive criticism, so dish it out, lol. But in a kind way. Thanks for reading.  
  
Just a few words to the people who reviewed so far:  
  
Mizz Breadstyx- You're right, it's Kagome! A gold star for you. That was a good guess about the whole non-biological human thing.... but not quite.  
  
Lady Mac-blush I'm glad you like it so much, ha ha. Yeah, can I rephrase what I said before? It was a long chapter for ME because I'm used to writing 2000 words chapters. And I read 'The Lucky Ones' too, so I know what you mean by 'long'. There will be no foaming at the mouth for you; the next chapter will be up next Monday as planned. :)  
  
xkumaxchanx- I'm glad that I made you day by using proper grammar, lol. I understand how you feel. It's so frustrating when people don't know the difference between a comma and period.  
  
komaru- Thanks for coming to read my story, I'm glad you like it.  
  
Aimee- I'm following through! Don't worry! I have up to chapter 8 planned so far; it's easier to write and update regularly when I know where the plot is going.   
  
Otherdark- Yay! I'm glad I got you so excited about my story! I'm hope you're still enjoying it.   
  
Nyyx- Thanks for pointing out why you thought the chapter was good. It lets me know what I'm doing right.  
  
Just noticed I use the word 'glad' a lot. Perhaps I should put my thesaurus to use... 


	4. Waking Up

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the related characters...do I actually have to write this every chapter?  
  
A/N The beginning's going to back track a little bit.  
-------------------  
  
The Shadows Within  
  
Ch.4  
  
By: Quiet Escapist  
  
------------------  
  
Inuyasha leaned back in his seat again after setting the data pad down in front of him, the small holographic image of the girl hovering at a bit below eye level. It was in perfect likeness to the girl that had fallen out of the container, capturing her petite frame, soft face, and even the delicate fingers on each hand. The only thing out of place was the small glowing pink ball in the centre of her chest.  
  
He felt as if his eyes were drawn to it; he couldn't seem to tear his gaze away.  
  
He had been reluctant to believe Miroku when he spouted off all that bullshit when they were flying through the belt, but now, after seeing a piece of visual proof... he didn't know what to think.  
  
But he sure as hell knew what he felt, and that was a growing resentment towards the girl. At first, he had sympathized for her; she didn't deserve this treatment just because she was a bit different and someone saw it as 'dangerous'.  
  
Eventually the anger overcame that emotion when he recalled everything he lost in the span of mere seconds. His brother's business, which was the only place he could ever work, as well as his brother, who was an arrogant bastard most of the time but had provided him a place to live and food to eat. Even his friend's who were in the hangar when it gave way to the flames.  
  
His whole fucking pathetic life was taken from him in an instant, and it was all because that girl was a part of their shipment. It could easily be blamed on Sesshomaru; he was the one who agreed to take her as cargo. But it was even easier to channel his anger towards the girl he didn't know, and didn't care to know.  
  
He had already decided that she wasn't his problem; he didn't care what happened to her. He had his own shit to deal with. So now all he wanted to do know what leave her unconscious body at that stinking med base and get the fuck away from her as quickly as possible.  
  
Inuyasha's long fingers ran along the cold hard beads around his neck, trying to soothe his frayed nerves with the placid movement, but he found that it just seemed to irritate him even more. The dark beads, which usually felt weightless, now seemed to become heavier as he sat there lost in his thoughts, as if to remind him of who he was...of _what_ he was.  
  
A hanyou.  
  
The product of an illegal joining between a human and a demon.  
  
Unstable. A threat to others. An animal.  
  
Inuyasha felt himself flinch as that last word stuck in his mind..._animal_. The most common name among humans for his kind was 'animal'. Something that was primal and dangerous, that didn't deserve the rights other living people got. Something that really didn't deserve to live.  
  
Humans feared him, and demons couldn't care less. But because the Universal Government was almost completely run by humans, they had total control over his life, or lack thereof.  
  
The Universal Government was insistent about eradicating the intolerance between demons and humans, but they still deemed it illegal for the two species to inter-mate. In the early years of trying to bring demons and humans together peacefully, they allowed and sometimes even encouraged for the inter-mating. What better way to bring them together than to blur the line between species. It had made a difference in human racism, so surely it would do just the same in this case.  
  
_Wrong._  
  
In the years that followed, several incidents involving hanyous losing control of themselves, also known as 'hanyou-rage', were brought to light. Scientists quickly disclosed them as unrelated occurrences, even though no medical study was made, and the rest of the world was told to forget it and move on.  
  
Soon the fragile new relationship between humans and demons became strained, as the incidents of 'hanyou-rage' grew more and more common. A count of deaths related to 'hanyou-rage' was started, and not too long after the numbers reached into the hundreds was a medical study was finally made. The results showed that demons and humans could not mate without the possibility of losing their child to blood-lust. The demon blood was much too strong for anyone less than full demon status to control.  
  
The law was made days later, dooming Inuyasha to a life of hiding in the shadows before he was even born. Of course, even today hanyou births still happened on occasion, but if anyone found out, the 'threat' was quickly 'taken care of'.  
  
Which is why Inuyasha wore the beads, to keep his demon blood dormant. When Inuyasha moved in with his older brother at the tender age of nine, Sesshomaru had the necklace made specifically for him. He hadn't explained where he got it, or what it was made of; he just placed it around the young boy's neck and told him to get used to it. Twelve years later the necklace was still doing its job.  
  
And not only did it keep him from losing control, but it also altered his scent, so that to any other demon Inuyasha smelt like a full demon. The only ones able to sniff out the truth about his lineage were wolf and dog demons. Those types of demons were so rare in the universe that Inuyasha didn't have to worry too much about them...usually.  
  
_It's just my luck that Sesshomaru did business with the few wolf demons out there.  
_  
A green light on the console began to flash, alerting Inuyasha to their approaching destination. In the distance, set against the sea of blackness was the orange planet Saturn, the rings of dust surrounding it glowing almost unnaturally. Not far off from Saturn was a smaller blue dot, Titan.  
  
He swivelled in his worn seat, turning to Miroku to wake him, but he stopped himself when he saw the not-so-innocent grin stretched across the older man's face.  
  
_I guess he's not sleeping after all, the fucking perv.  
_  
"Will you stop that?!" he growled, not actually caring what Miroku was thinking about, but feeling like an argument would help relieve some of the tension building up in his body.  
  
"Stop what?"  
  
Inuyasha sighed inwardly, remembering now that Miroku wasn't exactly the type to get angry.  
  
"You know what."  
  
"Inuyasha, you can't stop a person from having his own thoughts." The hanyou smirked at the idea.  
  
_Now wouldn't that be nice...  
_  
"On my ship I can, so if I catch you with that look on your face again I'm throwing you out."  
  
He turned away from Miroku as he went into pilot mode, flipping several switches before pressing a button to disengage the auto-pilot. He wrapped his hands around the controls, some of his tension easing as he flew the ship, knowing at least there was one thing in his life he had control over.  
  
Their small ship quickly made it's way towards Titan. The large moon looked remarkably similar to Earth; it's thin blue atmosphere full of white clouds, the visible ground area below was speckled with green vegetation and bright city lights. The reminder of the other planet brought a twinge of pain to Inuyasha's heart.  
  
"Go wake up Sango. We'll be landing soon." Only after the words left his mouth did Inuyasha remember who he was speaking to, and though he was sure his friend wouldn't want to be woken up by Miroku after the incident in the cargo room, he couldn't very well give her a personal wake-up call at the moment.  
  
"Miroku," he said, a hint of warning in his voice as he looked over his shoulder. He flashed him a look that quite noticeably said 'make on wrong move and you're a dead man' before returning his attention back to steering the ship.  
  
After Miroku left the cockpit, Inuyasha flipped on the communication switch above him before entering Titan's man-made atmosphere. Thick clouds surrounded the small ship, greatly reducing visibility but Inuyasha didn't slow down, his hands pushing down firmly on the controls as his guided the ship towards the building on the scanner.  
  
The ship soon burst through the line of clouds, a looming building came into view with the words 'Tanaka Fuels Inc' boldly labelled on the front. The blue-tinted glass skyscraper stood a fair bit away from the rest of the city, taking up a large chunk of land with the main office building surrounded by smaller factories and hangars.  
  
Harsh static crackled through the cockpit speakers before an authoritative male voice came on.  
  
"State your reason for business and your clearance code."  
  
"Requesting permission to land for emergency repairs," Inuyasha replied, noticing two small patrol ships flank him on either side. He smirked at the new safety precautions Tanaka Fuels felt necessary to take, wondering if it the ships actually had some firepower or if it was all for show.  
  
"Code?"  
  
"I don't have a code."  
  
"We can't let you land without the proper clearance." The patrol ships continued to fly at his sides, guiding him in a large circle above the building.  
  
"Feh. If I had known I would need _emergency_ repairs, I would have got a clearance code before I left," he said dryly. _When did these idiots get so uptight?_  
  
The voice on the other end became demanding.  
  
"Sir, you'll have to leave the surrounding airspace if you don't have a code."  
  
The two patrol ships suddenly closed in on either side, bringing themselves dangerously close to colliding with Inuyasha's ship as they swerved away from the building, the larger ship stuck between them. Barrel guns appeared on the front of the patrol ships, turning to aiming at his ship, daring him to defy the control room's orders.  
  
"Oi! Get Kouga! He'll give me a code!" As much as Inuyasha hated having to converse with the wolf demon, right now it was more appealing than being blown to pieces.  
  
"We can't do that sir. If you don't leave now, we're going to have to-"  
  
The distinct sound of shuffling came across the speakers before another male voice spoke, this one slightly lower in tone and a bit harsher than the first.  
  
"Emergency repairs, huh? What did you get yourself into this time, dog-breath?" Kouga taunted.  
  
"I don't have time to banter with you, half-wit. Just give me the clearance code so we can get this done and over with," Inuyasha said through gritted teeth, his patience quickly wearing thin as it usually did whenever he had to deal with Kouga's cocky attitude.  
  
"What? No time to stay for a visit?"  
  
Inuyasha just growled in response, and Kouga laughed confidently.  
  
"You know, you're lucky I just happened to be in the room when you showed up-"  
  
"Just shut up and let me land!"  
  
"Alright alright, you have clearance to land. Code 9473. Docking bay 7." The patrol ships pulled away, leaving Inuyasha free to steer the ship down to the large hangar. There was a moment of silence before Kouga continued sarcastically. "Hey, no thanks necessary _puppy_."  
  
"Keh, like I was going to give _you_ any, you mangy wolf." Before Kouga could respond, Inuyasha flicked off the communication switch, smirking to himself that he got the last word.  
  
------------------  
  
Sango felt a firm hand grip her shoulder and lightly rock her, trying to wake her from her state of semi-consciousness.  
  
"Five more minutes," she grumbled sleepily, burying her head further into the stiff pillow. For some reason her bed felt harder than she remembered, and her covers didn't seem as thick as she recalled either, but she brushed those thoughts off as another distraction created by her tired mind.  
  
Though she had tried, sleep wouldn't come to her, even though she desperately needed it. Her mind was working on overdrive, random thoughts popping into her head every time she was on the brink of falling into that sweet darkness.  
  
_Sometimes he's so annoying! Kohaku knows that I spent all those nights working overtime on Inuyasha's ship. What could be so important that he... wait... the ship?  
_  
Memories flooded her slightly befuddled mind and she tried to take them all in, slowly coming to the realization that she wasn't in her room. Images flashed behind her closed eyes like a scrapbook, laying out the past events like a story. The one image that prominently stuck out in her mind was that of the hangar burning to the ground around them while they worked frantically to get to safety.  
  
Just thinking about it again made her heart quicken, beating loudly against her chest. Though they had been inside the ship, the screams of the other people fleeing the hangar had still reached her ears, and now they filled her mind. Her heart stopped when she thought of her brother.  
  
_Kohaku? Did I lose him too?_  
  
She searched her hazy memory, trying to remember what happened at home before she left for work. The short conversation she had with her little brother before she left that morning replayed in her mind. He was still in bed, half-asleep when she told him she was leaving. He mumbled a goodbye into his pillow before rolling onto his other side and falling asleep again.  
  
_No, that's right. Kohaku wasn't there. It was early still, and he wasn't coming in until the afternoon. He was still at home... safe_.  
  
The hand on her shoulder rocked her again, this time a bit more roughly.  
  
_So if it's not Kohaku....  
_  
Sango let her eyes flutter open slowly, adjusting to the bright artificial light that filled the small room. A man sat on the cot beside her, looking down at her with a pair of the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen.  
  
A faint heat spread across her cheeks as she realized whom the eyes belonged to. Miroku kept his hand on her shoulder as he watched her curiously, several strands of his ebony hair falling in his eyes. His brows were drawn together slightly, his lips pursed in a thin line. Dropping her gaze from his face, she couldn't help but notice the top few buttons of his navy blue shirt were undone, giving her a glimpse at the top of his tanned chest.  
  
Her eyes rose back to his face, the concerned expression etched there was a dark contrast to his usual calm demeanour. Something seemed to bother him as he sat there, and she wondered what he was worried about. Was it the ship? Or maybe the girl? Was Inuyasha threatening him again?  
  
But the way Miroku's gaze was focused solely on her, it made her wonder...maybe he was worried about her. _That's crazy_, she told herself, trying to dispel the thought. _He doesn't even know me, so why would he care? Besides, there's nothing wrong with me.  
_  
For some reason the idea that he cared made her doubt her notions about him. She gave him a faint smile, trying to reassure him of whatever he was thinking.  
  
_Maybe I misjudged him earlier. Maybe he was just trying to pay me a compliment that time we first met, and I mistook for a come-on. Maybe his hand really did slip when we were in the cargo room and I just overreacted. Maybe he's really a descent guy...  
_  
"I like it when women want to stay in bed," he smirked, the expression in his deep blue eyes suddenly changing from concern to playfully suggestive.  
  
_Maybe not._  
  
"Then that's my cue to get _out_ of bed," she said dryly before violently kicking out her leg, knocking him onto the cold floor below. Sitting up on the cot, she undid the elastic around her ponytail, letting her hair fall down her back while Miroku regained his composure from where he was sprawled on the ground.  
  
_Why are all the handsome ones jerks?_  
  
"Inuyasha told me to wake you. We'll be landing soon."  
  
"Thanks," she grumbled, running her hands though her tangled tresses before returning it to a high ponytail. She made a mental note to thank her _friend_ for sending the lecher in to wake her.  
  
"Were you having a nightmare? Because you were making some odd faces while you slept," he asked seriously as he stood up and brushed invisible dirt off his pants.  
  
His question made her pause before she shrugged casually and she got out of bed. Her annoyance at his perverted attitude softened slightly at his show of concern. _So that's why he was looking at me like that...  
_  
A wave of dizziness washed over her and she tried to push past it, attributing it to the fact that the only thing she'd eaten in the past twenty-four hours was that measly sandwich.  
  
Just then the ship rocked slightly as it landed, knocking Sango off what little balance she had. She stumbled forward slightly and Miroku moved towards her, holding out his arms to catch her. Thankfully, she managed to regain her balance before she fell into his waiting arms.  
  
"I don't need your help, thanks."  
  
Miroku shrugged nonchalantly and turned to leave the room, but a soft moan from the other cot caught both their attentions. The younger girl, who had been unconscious up to this point, was moving her head slowly from side to side as she lay there, her eyes clenched shut as if trying to push away some sort of pain.  
  
Her movements were sluggish, as if some invisible force weighed down her limbs. She raised her hands to her face to rub her eyes before opening them cautiously, taking in her surroundings in a daze. Her eyes glanced around the room before resting on Sango and Miroku who stood at the other end of the room from her, both of them still at a bit of a loss as to what to do.  
  
The girl's thin dark brows drew together as she tried to place the people she saw before her, coming up with nothing. She opened her mouth once or twice but nothing came to her, though it was obvious she was beginning to comprehend the situation she was in by the way her eyes became full of fear.  
  
Sango suddenly came out of her stupor, moving forward cautiously so as not to scare the girl even more.  
  
"Kagome Higurashi?"  
  
The younger girl nodded slightly, trying to sit herself up but finding her limbs wouldn't support her. Sango reached out a hand and smiled warmly, hoping the girl would accept the gesture and not start panicking.  
  
Apprehension flashed over Kagome's face as her eyes darted from Sango's smile to the outstretched hand in front of her. Sango could see the way Kagome was analyzing the situation in her mind by the way she bit her lips nervously and squeezed her hands together. It was only a few moments before the young girl accepted Sango's offer and allowed her to help her sit up.  
  
"How do you feel?"  
  
"Um...weak...and sore," she said softly, trying to raise her hand to touch the pain at the back of her head, but finding her arm was still too weak to make it all the way up. Sango stole a glance at the back of Kagome's head for any noticeable wounds, but saw nothing and decided it was probably just a bump on the head.  
  
_Probably from when Inuyasha jumped her...  
_  
"W-where am I?"  
  
Sango's heart stopped in her chest at Kagome's words. Was she supposed to answer that question? She couldn't just tell her everything and expect Kagome to accept it. Her life was being stolen from her.  
  
Sango looked to Miroku, pleading with her eyes to tell her what to do. His brows furrowed as he thought for a moment, his eyes becoming dark as he considered the situation. She hadn't seen it before, but she saw it now in the way he studied Kagome, his gaze lightly looking her over before settling on her bold brown eyes that were so full of confusion and fear; he didn't want to continue on their journey.  
  
Neither did she.  
  
A sick feeling had taken over Sango's body after all the information about Kagome was out in the open. At only two years younger than herself, this girl was going to be erased from existence, and she wouldn't even know it.  
  
She didn't want to take part in destroying a human being's life, even if it was under Senate orders. It was beyond inhumane. But if strict orders from such a high level of authority were disobeyed... who knows what would happen to the three of them.  
  
She could feel Kagome watching her as she waited for Miroku's response, the younger girl anxious to know the answer but too scared to pressure her into answering. Sango wanted to give her a reassuring smile, to tell her it was all going to be okay... but it would all be a lie.  
  
Then Miroku nodded slightly, a gently smile gracing his lips before he turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him. It was a small gesture, but in it she understood what she was supposed to do.  
  
She shifted to face Kagome, trying to be as calm and unthreatening as possible.  
  
"It's a bit of a long story..."  
  
.  
  
.  
  
A/N This chapter took a while to get out, huh? heh heh. Sorry about the delay. Anyhow, thanks to my lovely reviewers, your kind words mean a lot to me.  
  
Mizz Breadstyx: I always listen to music when I write, it helps a lot. So what was I listening to when I wrote this? Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller and Cherry Poppin' Daddies... big bands from the 30's and 40's that played swing music. Go figure, eh?  
  
The next chapter will be up next Monday and don't forget to review. Tell me how I'm doing, what things you like, things you don't like. You know, constructive criticism is always appreciated. :) 


	5. First Impressions

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha...but he does visit me in my dreams. Seriously, he has. Twice. Is that weird?  
  
-------------------  
  
The Shadows Within  
  
Ch.5  
  
By: Quiet Escapist  
  
-------------------  
  
Inuyasha grumbled to himself as he plodded around the cockpit on his hands and knees, searching in every nook and cranny for something - _anything_ - that would cover his damn ears. He skimmed his hands over the metal floor before reaching into a small crevice between the wall and a small storage unit.  
  
His nose wrinkled in disgust when he pulled out a dirty old rag. An acrid odour wafted off it, so it was probably soiled with some sort of fuel. He was about to throw it back and ignore it, but then he noticed that it was a considerably large piece of cloth...enough to cover both his ears easily. And he was getting pretty desperate...  
  
He shook his head violently, several silver locks loosened from him low ponytail, flying about his face. _God, what am I thinking?! I'm not that desperate!_  
  
So he moved on, crawling under the main console but finding nothing more than dust and a piece of metal pipe. When he set out on his search he'd hoped to find a spare hat left behind, but so far he had come up with nothing.  
  
This morning's shipment had him so worked up over the past few days, that in his routine mad-dash to make it to work on time today, he left his trusty red baseball cap at home. He didn't even notice he was missing it until Miroku made the 'hanyou' comment, but by then it was too late. The damage had been done. Another person knew he was a half-breed.  
  
But that's the way it always went. He never willingly showed his ears to anyone. It was always by accident.  
  
Something tugged at the back of Inuyasha's mind, telling him he could trust Miroku, that he wouldn't rat him out. And he wanted to believe that - that there were more than just a handful of decent humans - but common sense prevailed over instinct.  
  
_Sure, the guy who works with the people trying to get rid of me won't spill my secret out of the kindness of his heart._ He snorted at the thought. _That'll be the day..._  
  
To reassure himself, he cracked his knuckles, deciding that if worse came to worse he could just threaten Miroku with bodily harm. He seemed to respond well to threats.  
  
"Do I want to know?" a voice teased, startling Inuyasha. He leapt to his feet, but didn't get very far with the console over head.  
  
"Gah!! Shit!"  
  
He fell back down to his hands and knees and scooted out from the cubby hole, muttering a string of curses as he went. He quickly rose to his full height, the sharp throb at the back of his head making him sway slightly on his feet. Spinning around, he glared at Miroku who was standing at the cockpit entrance, leaning against the wall casually with his arms crossed over his chest. He snickered as Inuyasha's expense.  
  
"Fuck off!"  
  
"I didn't mean to startle you," he said honestly, though that infuriating grin was still stuck on his face.  
  
The hanyou ignored him as he flopped down in a chair, the hinges squeaking as it took his weight. Gingerly he rubbed his hand along the back of his head, feeling the small lump beneath his thick white mane. The sharp pain increased tenfold at the pressure and he hissed.  
  
Then he remembered what he had been doing prior to being snuck up on, and he wondered to himself whether or not Sango would have a bandana or something. He could ask Miroku, Inuyasha thought as he eyed the other man out of the corner of his eye. But he was pretty sure Miroku had nothing on him...hell, who was he kidding. He'd never ask Miroku for help, especially not after all the annoying shit he put him through in the past twenty-four hours.  
  
"Where's Sango?" he asked gruffly, trying to ignore the pain. It'd be gone soon anyhow.  
  
"She's still back there."  
  
"Well is she coming out or what? Cause the sooner we got off-board, the sooner we can get the fuck out of here." Inuyasha turned in his seat to glance out the window, taking in the bustle that filled the docking bay. _There's no way I can walk out there without at least one person noticing..._  
  
"She's having a word with Kagome at the moment. I don't think they'll be too long though."  
  
It took a moment for Miroku's words to sink in, and then a strangled noise escaped from Inuyasha's throat, something similar to a cross between a gasp and a snarl. His attitude towards the news could easily be summed up in two simple words - Oh. Shit.  
  
"The girl? She's awake?!" he cried out, finally finding his voice again.  
  
Miroku nodded solemnly, his expression darkening slightly. Bright red, insanely loud alarms went off in Inuyasha's head, and he knew only trouble would come from this.  
  
"So, they're talking?" he asked, trying to keep as calm as he possibly could considering the change in events fate just threw at him. He flattened his ears to his head to keep them from twitching spastically.  
  
Miroku nodded again but said nothing more. The small semblance of calm that Inuyasha had managed to maintain exploded at Miroku's lack of information.  
  
"About what?!"  
  
The other man's lips tugged back into a playful smile. "Girl talk?"  
  
Inuyasha let a low growl escape him. _Why is it that Miroku seems to pick the worst times to make light of a situation...like when it was almost as bad as it could get! How can he be so damn calm? Doesn't that idiot realize how this just fucked up our already fucked up plans?!_  
  
He jumped out of his seat and bolted for the door to the small room, ready to burst through it and...and what? Yell at Sango for speaking to her? Hit the girl over the head so she was unconscious again?  
  
Miroku was suddenly in front of him, halting him several paces away from the metallic door. Inuyasha could feel his eyebrows raise as he resisted the urge to just barrel through the dark-haired man and continue on his way. _I didn't know he was so fast._  
  
"Inuyasha," Miroku began, his hands firmly set on the hanyou's shoulders. "Think this through."  
  
"I _am_ thinking this through! You're not thinking this through! She's still supposed to be in that container, not awake and-"  
  
"Listen," Miroku started again, his voice remaining smooth and calm. "That can't be changed right now. I'm not sure what exactly Sango's telling her, but I'm sure it's not everything. We can't afford to have her overly upset. Remember what I told you about the energy fluctuations becoming stronger when she's upset?"  
  
He paused, waiting for Inuyasha to make some acknowledgement that he was following him. "If she starts freaking out and the scans pick it up, then we're in deep shit. So it's easier this way. Besides, don't you care how she's feeling right now? She's been taken away from everything she knows..."  
  
Inuyasha let Miroku's words fade away as he continued to stand there, the other man's mouth still moving though no words were coming out.  
  
Did he care?  
  
As much as he hated to admit, he probably understood what she was feeling better than the others. He knew what it was like to be feared. To be taken from the only world you knew, only to be thrust into a situation you have absolutely no say over, even though it has everything to do with you. To know your fate, and know there's nothing you can do to change it.  
  
But just because he knew how it felt, did that mean he cared?  
  
The hanyou shook his head to himself.  
  
No, he already decided before that he didn't.  
  
"Keh." He backed away, returning to his seat in the cockpit. The worn material moulded to his body as he leaned back and rested his feet up on the console in his favourite sitting position.  
  
He did not care.  
  
-------------------  
  
Numb.  
  
She felt numb. And exhausted.  
  
Kagome let out a heavy sigh as she let everything slowly sink in; her environment, her physical state, and the words the other girl had spoken about _why_ everything had happened.  
  
_Unnatural energy... fluctuations...  
_  
She hung her head, dropping her gaze to her feet. Her long black locks swept forward, creating a thin wall around her face, shielding her from the Sango's compassionate stare. Maybe Sango wasn't aware, but behind the softness in her eyes Kagome could see that she was hiding something. There were so many missing pieces to the story, and Kagome wanted to ask Sango one of the million questions rushing through her mind... but she was afraid of the answer.  
  
So for now, she figured it would be best to just try and sort out her feelings and thoughts. But she didn't really feel anything, and her mind seemed to trip over itself the more she thought. Sango mentioned earlier that she might feel thick headed for a while because of the gas.  
  
The gas that was in the chamber she was locked in. _But why? Why was I locked up?  
_  
Her fingers twisted in the rough material of the mechanic suit she wore. Sango had been kind enough to offer it to her when she noticed the way Kagome kept shifting her pyjamas, trying to make them cover more of her exposed flesh. But she felt naked, even now; it had nothing to do with her clothing. To have other people she never met before know so many intimate details about her life, it made her feel like she was on display.  
  
_Is that what I am? A freak to put on display?  
_  
"We landed just before you woke up, so we should be going," Sango said, standing up and reaching out a hand to Kagome. "Can you stand?"  
  
Kagome tried pushing herself off the cot, but her arms felt too weak to even lift herself. "No," she confessed, worrying her lower lip with her teeth.  
  
"Don't worry," Sango said soothingly, noticing her nervous habit. "I'm sure it'll wear off soon. But for now, I guess you'll have to be carried."  
  
Just then, the only door in the cramped room opened and a man leaned in against the doorframe. Kagome remembered him as the one she had seen a bit earlier, though at that time she didn't get a very good look at him. He was tall in stance, much taller than herself, with midnight black hair tied in a small ponytail at the nap of his neck. The dark pants and navy blue shirt he wore were business attire, but somehow, he made them look more casual than then should have been.  
  
But the thing that struck her was his face. It was beyond handsome; borderline perfect was more like it. The defining lines of his face were soft, yet masculine at the same time. His sapphire blue eyes were playful, but seemed to hold a wisdom beneath the surface, and his boyish smile made her feel warm and relaxed.  
  
He moved towards her, his hand outstretched in a friendly gesture. "Miroku Kazanna," he stated warmly as she grasped his hand and shook it.  
  
"Kagome Higurashi."  
  
Beside her, Sango made a noise that sounded a bit like 'humph'. Kagome turned and noticed Sango's eyes narrow in on Miroku as he let go of her hand. "Were you eavesdropping?"  
  
He blinked and then smiled innocently. "No, why would you think that?"  
  
She snorted. "Liar. You heard the word 'carry' didn't you?"  
  
He laughed, and Kagome thought she heard a slight nervous undertone to it. "I don't know what you're-"  
  
"Whatever. Just go get Inuyasha, would you?" Sango cut him off, giving him a commanding stare.  
  
He shrugged and left the room, the sound of his footsteps against the cold metal floor fading as he moved to another part of the ship. Kagome looked to Sango for some sort of explanation about the little scene that had just taken place. Sango just sighed and rolled her eyes in a 'nevermind' gesture.  
  
Miroku returned moments later, followed by a another guy. This one wore a plain t-shirt beneath a thick black vest, along with chocolate brown pants that ended in pair of heavy black boots...and he had dog-ears?  
  
Kagome forced herself to blink several times just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. But they were still there, a pair a fuzzy white dog-ears on the top of his head. Then she noticed his other... 'unique' physical attributes. Like his waist-length white hair tied in a loose low ponytail, and his eyes...  
  
"Inuyasha," Sango started, the sound of her voice pulling Kagome out of her trance. "Can you carry Kagome? She still can't stand because of the gas."  
  
Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, considering Sango's request, his golden eyes piercing her with a hardened gaze as if he was sizing her up. Kagome stared right back at him, not wanting to surrender to his unspoken challenge.  
  
"Keh," he muttered before moving towards her, his eyes still locked on her own. When he was directly in front of her, looming above her, he broke the stare, turning his back to her and crouching down.  
  
_Piggyback?_  
  
She looked to Sango who gave her an encouraging nod, so she gave in, pushing herself of the cot with the small amount of strength in her arms, slipping off the cot and onto his back. He waited a moment to make sure she was settled before standing up with such ease that it seemed like Kagome weighed no more than a child.  
  
"Thanks," she mumbled, a little flustered at how close she was to the stranger.  
  
"Feh."  
  
He moved effortlessly, striding out of the room she woke up in, Miroku and Sango trailing behind. He paused at a door that Kagome assumed led outside, waiting for someone to pull the lever. Sango came beside him and grasped the lever, but stopped herself as her eyes darted to the top of his head. She reached up and tugged one of his little delicate ears, earning a yelp from the man.  
  
"Ow bitch! What are you doing?"  
  
"You need a hat."  
  
"I looked but I couldn't find one here...and I forgot the other one at home," he explained, the last bit coming out a bit sheepishly. Sango responded in a mother-like manner, clucking her tongue and giving him a scolding stare before tapping her finger to her chin as she brainstormed.  
  
"Flatten them," she said simply after a moment's thought, and Kagome watched with delight as his dog-ears flattened down to his head. She felt the sudden urge to reach out and touch them, her fingers itching to rub the fine velvet fur that covered them  
  
Sango reached forward again, this time arranging his silver locks so that they fell over his ears. She shrugged, fussing with his hair a moment more before giving up.  
  
"That's the best I can do, but they're covered for now," she said, eyeing the practically concealed ears before turning back to the lever. The door hissed as it opened outwards, a wide ramp extending out from the ship so that they could walk out.  
  
Kagome's chocolate brown eyes widened in awe as she took in the happenings of the docking bay. Hundreds of people moved about, some carrying boxes or equipment, others engaging in conversations with their friends and family. Voices of many different dialects filled the expanse around her, and she caught snippets of various conversations as their group moved purposefully towards a blue-tinted glass skyscraper. Enticing smells entered her nose, the delicious scents wafting off the small carts that a few vendors worked. The docking bay held the same atmosphere as a flea market Kagome had gone to once when she back home.  
  
_Home...  
_  
She felt the bright smile disappear from her face at the thought of her family. Sango told her that some people working for the government had kidnapped her one night. Her family must have been so worried when they didn't find her in her room, with not even a clue as to where she was. _Mom... Souta... Grandpa..._ She wondered what they were doing right now. Were they okay? Were they thinking of her?  
  
A stinging sensation started behind her eyes, and Kagome forced back the tears forming in her eyes. It wouldn't do her any good to start crying now. Crying never fixed anything. She had to be strong; not only for herself but for her family too. She didn't want them to be in pain because of her.  
  
Silently she made a promise to herself that she'd make it home, even though she had few clues as to what was really going on right now.  
  
The silence that had fallen upon the group was broken by Miroku's smooth voice. "You know Sango, that outfit looks really great on you. The colour of your top really compliments your eyes."  
  
Kagome shifted herself slightly on Inuyasha's back, craning her neck to look behind her, watching the pair walk side by side. Sango averted her eyes away from him, a rosy hue spreading across her cheeks as she mumbled a 'thanks'. The smile returned to Kagome's lips as she wondered what sort of relationship the two had.  
  
She had worn a tight magenta tank top with a low neckline, along with a pair of plain fitted black pants underneath the mechanic suit. When Sango passed the suit off to Kagome, she explained that she didn't usually wear the outfit she had on now; it was too revealing in her opinion. She only wore such things when it was under her suit to keep her from getting overheated while she worked.  
  
Miroku let his gaze slip from the girl beside him to Kagome, and he smiled mischievously before returning his attention back to Sango. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, shocking the mechanic slightly, drawing her closer to his body.  
  
"Sango," he said, motioning towards Kagome and Inuyasha. "Perhaps you would like a piggy-back too?"  
  
She shot him a deadpan look. "No," she said firmly, pushing him away from her as she sped up her pace. Unfortunately for Miroku, she pushed a little too hard, knocking him off his balance and into a bunch of boxes that were neatly stacked, waiting to be loaded onto a ship.  
  
Sango flushed a dark shade of crimson when she realized what she had done, but she continued walking behind Inuyasha with her head bowed, trying to hid her obvious embarrassment. Inuyasha paused for a moment to nonchalantly take in the situation before returning to his steady walking pace.  
  
"Get off your ass Miroku," he called out as he moved away.  
  
Kagome stifled the giggle rising in her throat at Miroku's futile attempts to dislodge himself from the mess and turned her attention back ahead of her, enjoying the busy energy that surrounded her.  
  
They walked on for a bit longer in silence, Inuyasha and Kagome continuing to lead the way while Sango and Miroku followed closely behind. Sango kept her arms folded across her chest to try and cover herself while looking everywhere but at Miroku, and he in turn kept himself at arm's length from the mechanic.  
  
As they approached what looked like the main building, Inuyasha suddenly stopped in his tracks. Kagome tore her gaze away from the happenings around to her to follow his line of sight, landing on a small group of important looking men striding towards them casually. Sango moved to their left side and Miroku stood at their right, waiting for the six men to make their way over to them.  
  
The man walking at the front of the group exuded confidence. From his casual strides and tailored clothing, to his confident grin and strong faical features; everything about him said 'leader'. He was also tall, much like the other men she had met that day, with a lean build beneath the stylish trench coat he wore. Charcoal bangs fell in his eyes, the rest of his long dark hair pulled up into a simple ponytail.  
  
When the group came several paces closer, Kagome noticed that half of the group was were suits similar to one she currently wore, except they looked sleeker and in better shape than Sango's. Those three also wore baseball caps to match their suits, but one of the mechanics kept their head down so their face was basically shielded from her sight.  
  
An odd feelings worked it's way up Kagome's spine as she studied the mechanic, her eyes taking in the womanly figure, watching as the mechanic lifted her head ever so slightly to reveal a pair of perfectly painted lips. A bold red colour. Kagome tore her gaze from the woman, feeling embarrassed that she was staring, even though the woman probably couldn't tell.  
  
Inuyasha's sturdy back began to rumble as a low animal sound escaped him, forcing Kagome to do a double take. _Wait...is he...growling?_  
  
"So, I'm going to tell you again that you were lucky I was in the control room," the front man began as he stood in before of them now, his fierce blue eyes full of playful arrogance. "Because if I wasn't, you'd still be floating around in space right now, and it wouldn't do much good to miss a shipment, now would it."  
  
Inuyasha's growl became louder and more feral. Sango placed a hand on his shoulder firmly, and he let the sound disappear. The other man that had spoken previously grinned, and then motioned to three of the others with him, pointing at the ship far down the line. They nodded and left, Kouga managing to reach out and snatch one of their hats as they left.  
  
He studied it for a moment, a smirk settling on his lips as he turned it around so that Kagome and the others could see the words 'Tanaka Fuels Inc." stitched neatly on the front. He took a quick step forward, tugging the hat over Inuyasha's head and then stepped back to enjoy the image.  
  
"Gotta cover those ears, mutt." His words were whisper quiet and Kagome could barely make them out, but she figured Inuyasha heard them loud and clear by his reaction. His muscles tensed beneath her, and he snarled taking a menacing step towards the man.  
  
"Kouga-" he threatened, but the other man just ignored him.  
  
"Sango, you look well," Kouga said, extending his hand out in a friendly manner. She accepted it and grinned warmly.  
  
"I am. And it looks like you're doing pretty well yourself." She gestured at the docking bay around her and he nodded, a look of pride coming over his face.  
  
"Yeah, we're expanding again. We added this whole section when we decided to accommodate public transport instead of just business travel. Construction was a bitch, but now that it's over, things couldn't be better."  
  
He winked and flashed her a confident smile, and then he turned to Miroku, once again extending his hand to introduce himself.  
  
"We haven't met before. Kouga Tanaka."  
  
"Miroku Kazanna"  
  
"Friend of the puppy?"  
  
"No. I'm just...along for the ride," Miroku replied vaguely.  
  
Kouga nodded, acknowledging the ambiguous reply and choosing not to pursue it, his gaze shifting from Miroku to Kagome. When his bright eyes locked with her own, she couldn't help the way her heart began to beat faster.  
  
"I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful woman standing in this docking bay before." A blush stained Kagome's face as she took in his words, choosing to ignore Inuyasha's snort and Miroku's comment that 'she's not really standing, she's riding Inuyasha'.  
  
"Oh. Um... thanks," she stuttered out, trying to calm her pounding heart. "I really like this place. It's so full of energy. It reminds me of home."  
  
"Does it? Where are you from?" he asked with an honest interest.  
  
"Earth. American district."  
  
"I've been around that area before; it really is a beautiful place." He paused for a moment, his eyes never leaving her own as he pondered his next words. "You know, there are a few places nearby that I think you might like. So if you're around for while, maybe I could show you around."  
  
She was flattered by his words, to say the least. She'd been told she was beautiful before and several guys had asked her out, but the way Kouga did it, it made her feel like she was the only woman in his eyes.  
  
_But this isn't the time to go on a date_, she mentally berated herself. How could she so easily forget everything that happened so far that day?  
  
She opened her mouth to kindly decline, but Inuyasha's gruff voice interrupted.  
  
"We didn't stop by for idle chitchat, idiot"  
  
"Don't you know when to keep your mouth shut, mutt?"  
  
Again Inuyasha back began to vibrate as a threatening growl rumbled in his chest. A similar sound came from Kouga, and Kagome wondered just how _human_ this two men were.  
  
"This isn't the time you idiots," Sango hissed, abruptly stopping the quarrel as if she had physically slapped both men.  
  
Kouga glared at Inuyasha for a minute, and Kagome assumed Inuyasha was doing the same because she couldn't see his face from where she was perched on his back. He eventually shrugged his shoulders casually, taking a step closer to the hanyou and bringing his voice down to a whisper.  
  
"Listen, I dug up some of the particulars of your shipment. Is the cargo still on board? Because if so, I can send some guards down to watch over it till the repairs are done."  
  
"No. She's right here," Inuyasha replied brusquely. Kouga's brows furrowed as he contemplated the hanyou's words.  
  
"She?"  
  
"Yeah. _She_." He bounced Kagome on his back, drawing Kouga's attention back to the girl. A embarrassed heat flushed across her faced as the man scrutinized her with his piercing blue eyes.  
  
"Oh, well..." he trailed off, running a hand through his long ebony bangs. "Then I guess I'll just have Ginta and Hakkuku show you to your rooms upstairs. I'll let you know how long the repairs will take the moment I'm informed about it."  
  
Kouga nodded a quick goodbye to the group, turning away and walking back the way he came, the two other men that had come in with him still standing with the group. Several paces away, he called back in a distinct voice strong voice, "Oh, and Inuyasha? After you drop of Kagome Ginta will show you to my office so we can have a word."  
  
Inuyasha grumbled a few choice words under his breath, and then reluctantly followed Kouga's men towards the glass building. The group followed in Kouga's footsteps, veering off onto a different course once they stepped inside the elegant swinging doors, heading down several hallways with multiple doors on either side.  
  
The entire time they steadily moved ahead, Kagome fumed as Inuyasha's actions. _What's his problem anyway? Does he have something against me or is he always a jerk?_ Kagome bit her lip in frustration, annoyed by the way she couldn't just let his rude behaviour go like she did with most other people. Her blood felt like it was boiling as she continued to thinking about how irritating he had been, not able to turn her mind elsewhere.  
  
Inuyasha decided to break the silence that permeated the group as they continued on their way.  
  
"You know, for a piece of cargo you sure do talk a lot," he muttered under his breath.  
  
"A piece of what?!"  
  
Sango moved to their side instantly and whacked Inuyasha over the head. "Do you always have to be such a jerk?"  
  
.  
  
.  
  
A/N That was the longest chapter I have ever written. Go me! That's why it took so long to get out. Anyways, be sure to check out my main page for an important note concerning updates, ok? Other than that, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. :) 


	6. Confessions

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Inuyasha.

A/N It was a long time in coming, but I finally finished this chapter. I hope the length makes up for the wait. Be prepared for numerous point-of-view changes.

InuGoddess - The Fifth Element is one of my favourtie movies too! I'd say my story is sort ofa cross between that and Star Wars. Thanks for you nice comments! I hope you like this chapter.

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The Shadows Within

Ch. 6

By: Quiet Escapist

----------------

The next day passed by rather uneventfully for Kagome, with most of the day spent it the hotel room she shared with Sango. Not that it was her choice; but she decided it was probably best to go along with Inuyasha's decision. Especially after getting an earful from the hanyou when he found her that morning back in the docking bay, perusing some of the gift shops with Sango. She swore her ears were still ringing after he exploded on her.

And after Inuyasha so thoughtfully escorted Kagome back up to her room - complete with more scolding, and a threat or two - she found herself alone, the mechanic taking the opportunity to help out with repairs on their ship.

She now lay on her oversized bed, staring dully at the tv screen in front of her while flipping the channels, none of the bright images catching her attention. _Millions of channels, but still nothing on..._

Her old pyjamas lay in a heap beside the bed, discarded that morning after she discovered an entire wardrobe of clothing in the walk-in closet. When she mentioned it to Sango, the other girl simply stated that it was probably Kouga's doing. His personal guests were always well taken care of.

Kagome sighed as she continued to flip the channels, her mind beginning to wander as it had repeatedly for the entire day. Surprisingly she wasn't thinking about the odd situation that she found herself in, or even her family back home. She thought of Inuyasha.

Rude, domineering, foul-mouthed Inuyasha.

_Why do I keep thinking about him?! _Frustrated with her turn of thoughts she clicked off the tv and threw down the controller, rolling over onto her back to study the stark white ceiling above her. What she should have been thinking about was finding a way to get back home, or unravelling the rest of the mystery surrounding her sudden change of environment yesterday.

Not that anyone seemed keen on talking about it anyway. Only minutes after she regained consciousness, Sango slowly explained a few details, just enough to answer some questions and reassure Kagome that she was safe.

_For the time being at least_, Kagome thought with a frown.

The mechanic went over the key details concerning energy in her body, including the fact that she had been taken from her home one night, which in turn led to her being taken away on a ship. Conveniently, Sango managed to sidestep a few minor details, such a _who _had kidnapped her or _where_ she was being taken. And _why_, for that matter. But Kagome let it drop for the time being; her mind still hazy from the drug induced coma.

Before heading out on their trip to the docking bay earlier that morning, Kagome tried to breach the subject again. Her questions obviously flustered Sango, the girl's face blanching slightly as she stammered that they should be going if they wanted to get downstairs before the crowds. Sango's undeniable sidestepping of her questions made Kagome worry. The other girl didn't seem like the secretive type. Actually, Kagome found her to be rather warm and open, and given different circumstances she would have thought she found a new friend.

She noticed several times that morning that Sango's face would suddenly become solemn, her eyes taking on a distant look. When Kagome asked if something was wrong, the older girl just brushed it off, explaining that she was still tired for the previous day's excitement. This made Kagome worry even more, knowing full well that Sango had a good nine hours of sleep to refresh herself. Of course, her worry was quickly replaced by shock when Inuyasha suddenly appeared in front of her, his form looming over her, making her feel like a little child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

_Arg! I'm doing it again! _She violently shook her head, trying to dispel the image of the scowling hanyou from her mind, but it stuck. Huffing out a sigh of resignation, she decided to figure this out. Enough was enough. If she could figure out why she kept thinking about him, then maybe then she could stop...

_Is it because he's a hanyou? _She couldn't recall ever seeing anyone - demon or human - with such striking features. He wasn't gorgeous by any means; he didn't have the same flawless, handsome features as Miroku. His own features were more angular, giving him a guarded look. His waist length hair was like a silver mane falling down his back, and his eyes of liquid amber were so vibrant, even when he was scowling. And his ears!

She grinned at the image of the fuzzy triangles atop his head. They were probably the most adorable things she had ever seen, and she still desperately wanted to touch them. But she would probably end up with one less limb considering his constantly irritated demeanour.

_Or is that why I think about him? He's only ever been mean to me. _The grin vanished from her face, a frown tugging at her lips as she considered that thought. Sango mentioned earlier that Inuyasha wasn't the friendliest person in the universe, but did that still mean he had to act like an overbearing jerk towards her?

It's not like she did something to him; they had only just met. And the others in the group had at least been civil, so why couldn't he?

She rubbed at her temples soothingly. Not that she had a headache, but the motion calmed some of her thoughts. Leaning up slightly, she stared at the clock on the wall, pleased to see it reading quarter to five, but also dreading the numbers at the same time. It was almost night, so the painfully dull day would come to an end soon, but after that... what happened to her? What would the next day bring?

Sitting up abruptly, wanting to run from her worries, she decided she needed something to occupy her attention. She let her gaze shift around the room anxiously before landing on the door. Cocking her head to the side, she narrowed her eyes on the metal panel, an idea coming to mind.

----------------

Growling to himself, Inuyasha punched in the code on the door of his room, storming past the door that soundlessly slid open for him. He yanked the blue cap off his head, rubbing his sore ears that had spent the day trapped under the hat.

A quick glance to the clock on the wall and he decided to take a shower before he went downstairs for dinner. He slipped off his worn vest and then tugged his shirt over his head, rolling his stiff shoulders as he dropped the shirt on the floor. Yesterday's events were still with him; a dull ache had been pulsing through his body the entire day.

The rest of his clothes made a trail to the bathroom, the soothing heat of a shower calling out to him.Inuyasha stepped inside the small tile covered room, a thin pane of glass closing behind him automatically. He tapped the showerhead twice, and a jet of hot water suddenly rained down on him. A content sigh escaped the hanyou's lips.

Steam from the heated water quickly rose from below his feet, wrapping around his wet limbs and enveloping him in a comfortable haze. The steady pounding of the water against his chest eased the tension from his mind, while the hot steam began to relax the tightness in his worn muscles. Today's problems washed off him and ran down the drain, all except for one.

Kagome.

He cursed under his breath as he began to lather his hair. For the whole day she'd been at the back of his mind; he couldn't shake her image. Or her scent for that matter.

Who knew that once she showered and got rid of that nauseating chemical stench, she actually smelt pretty good?

Her scent was fresh and clean; alive. Something she soon wouldn't be.

His meeting with Kouga last night had helped determine just how much longer she had. The wolf demon rattled off the statistics of his ship, half of which Inuyasha didn't understand; he could fly the thing damn well, but when it came to the logistics, he only knew the basics. What he understood though was that there was a lot of interior damage, but with mechanics working on it around the clock it could be done in three days time.

Three days until they left. Day one was already gone.

Then came the issue of how to transport the girl to the base. It stumped both men; though both could be rough and insensitive at times, they didn't want to be a part of this job. Eventually they did come to the decision that she couldn't be taken there in a conscious state, because if her emotions ran high she'd set off the energy scans. Besides, there was no way she'd go willingly, not even if she didn't know the truth.

Kouga then suggested that she be drugged. A simple potion could be made and then slipped into a drink, and it would probably knock her out until she was dropped off at the Med Base - the researchers there could deal with her afterwards. But the problem with that idea was that it would _probably _work, there were no guarantees.

After hours of discussion, bickering and threats of bodily harm, they both came to an reluctant agreement. Kagome would be drugged on the morning of the third day, right before they left Titan. The solution would most likely hold for the entire one-day journey to the base.

Inuyasha rinsed the suds out of his hair and then stood under the water, letting it run in rivulets down the front of his face. While he was anxiously awaiting the moment when it was all over, he also dreaded it at the same time. He had no where to go. His brother - his only relative - was gone along with the factory and the docking bay.

Sango would probably take him in and let him live with her and Kohaku, but that couldn't last long. There was no way he could get a regular job; he was a hanyou. He wouldn't allow himself to drag down Sango and her brother; it was already hard enough on them, both their paychecks just enough to pay for rent and food.

Stepping out of the shower, the cold air hit him in a rush, goose bumps rising on his wet flesh. Quickly he wrapped a towel around himself and began to dry off. He pushed all of his uncertainties about the future back into the recesses of his mind, like he always did. He saw no use on dwelling on them now. He'd just have to deal with them when the time came. For now, he had to deal with Kagome. And he was just beginning to see how difficult that would be.

Because each minute that passed he found it harder not to think of her as a person, but as just another cargo shipment. Another means to a paycheck.

Each minute that passed, he found it harder not to care.

-----------------

Sango made her way through the busy docking bay, slipping through the crowds easily, as if she were invisible. She rubbed her palms against her pants, trying to rid them of the left over grime from working on the ship again. Of course, she didn't have to; Kouga had some very competent mechanics already working on it. But working with the metal eased the lump of guilt forming in her stomach, and with her mind totally focused on her work she wasn't worrying about the next time Kagome started asking questions.

She hated having to hold back some of the truth from Kagome, but she already made a promise to Inuyasha that she wouldn't say anymore. Which is why she had to get away. She already felt a bond forming between them, and the more time she spent with Kagome, the harder it got to keep it all inside.

Pushing though the glass doors, Sango entered the main building, deliberately heading away from the elevator that would take her back up to her room. It would eat up some of her time to just wander around for a while. She couldn't face Kagome just yet.

Sauntering down a wide hallway, she followed the trail of burgundy carpet, wondering to herself how Kohaku was making out today. Last night, as soon as she had a free moment she contacted him, praying that he was alright. When she finally got a hold of him, she could plainly see how distressed he was over the view-phone; his eyes were red and puffy from crying, his brown hair mussed like it hadn't been brushed at all. Sango almost cried when she saw him; Kohaku did. She quickly explained to him what had happened, and mentioned she didn't know when she'd be back. He smiled for her, telling her he'd be fine by himself for a while, but she knew it was forced. In the hours before she had called, he's gone through hell again, thinking he'd lost the last of his family.

She sighed to herself; all she wanted to do was go back home.

The tantalizing smells of gourmet food slowly reached her nose, and her stomach grumbled in response, reminding her that she skipped lunch. Following the aromatic scents, she hurried down a few more hallways before coming upon a restaurant within the building. A large glass panel gave her a clear view from the hallway into the expansive dining room. Hundreds of tables were set up, about half of them full with people enjoying an early dinner. It didn't go unnoticed that the majority of the diners wore more formal attire, like business suits or skirts with blouses.

Looking down to her own outfit, Sango frowned at the image. The light grey pants she got from the stocked closet this morning were now streaked with grime from when she used them as a rag, and the white tee was tainted with various coloured smudges.

Standing outside the window, she debated whether or not to go in, the delicious scents inviting her in but the thought of the other haughty diners scrutinizing her attire kept her outside.

Eventually her hunger won out, so she speedily strode to the main entrance to the restaurant just a little ways down the hall, continuing to glance at the diners every so often, mentally deciding what she would order. She licked her lips in anticipation, silently thanking Kouga for being so generous. All she had to do was mention to her waiter that she was a personal friend of the wolf-demon and anything on the menu would be hers.

She stopped her march abruptly when one of the diners caught her eye, a lone man sitting at a small table near the wall. She squinted her eyes as she watched him; something about him just seemed so familiar. His black hair hung around just above his broad shoulders; the sleeves of his purple shirt were carelessly rolled up to his elbows.

A waitress walked over to his table, datapad in hand, ready to take his order. He turned, giving Sango a perfect view of his profile. A light bulb went off in her head when she recognized the devilish grin he was giving the young girl. The blonde just smiled sweetly and when he beckoned her with a crooked finger, she leaned over to let him whisper something in her ears, inadvertently giving him a nice view down her shirt.

Sango felt her eyebrow twitch involuntarily at the small scene. The waitress stood upright again, blushing and giggling as she walked away to get his order, her hips swaying dramatically knowing that he was watching.

The mechanic's stomach growled again, reminding her of her previous errand. With renewed purpose, she continued on her way to the entrance, quickly deciding that she could easily watch over Miroku while she ate. Without Inuyasha around, someone had to keep him in check so he didn't get himself into trouble before they left.

-----------------

Miroku leaned back in his chair, idly tracing invisible patterns on the tabletop now that the waitress had disappeared from sight. He thought it was a pity that most restaurants preferred robotic service instead of human; in his books good old-fashioned human interaction always beat out fast, reliable service.

The he smirked to himself, his eyes wandering around the room, landing a few other waitresses just as pretty as the one that just left. He took a sip from the cup in front of him, the sweet sake quenching his thirst and subduing his hunger until his food arrived. _What good fortune I've had, stumbling across this place. _

But despite it all - the women, the drink, the warm pleasant atmosphere - he felt something tugging at him from the inside, softly though incessant. It made talking to the girls less enjoyable; the cup of sake in his hand less satisfying. If he wanted to he could pinpoint the reason, tracing it back to an event a week ago that included an order from the Senate, but he chose to ignore it instead.

There was no sense in dwelling on it and spoiling his mood.

A moment later a woman stood beside him, her curved frame blocking his view of the right side of the restaurant._ Now that's fast service..._ He looked up to thank the waitress - and possibly give her bedroom eyes - when he noticed that the waitress was actually Sango. Keeping his surprise to himself, he smiled casually to which she smiled back.

"Ah Sango, will you be joining me?"

"Yes I will, if that's alright with you."

"Of course, of course." He motioned to the empty seat across from himself. She took her place, immediately grabbing for the menu and skimming through it. Miroku took her moment of distraction to study her; somehow, she seemed different than how he last saw her. Her eyes were a little duller, her smile a bit forced.

His eyes drifted downward - on their own accord, of course - and he noticed the colourful stains across her ches- erm, shirt.

"I see you've been working today." His voice interrupted her intense focus, her head snapping up at the sound and then she blushed. Miroku couldn't help but smile at the tint across her cheeks.

"Yeah, well...I didn't know what else to do..." Trailing off she returned to her menu, more intent on choosing her dinner than keeping up conversation.

"I understand." A few minutes of silence passed between them before she put the menu down.

"What have you been up to? I haven't seen you all day," she asked, her fingers tracing the edge of the menu.

"I took a walk around the city. I've never been anywhere but Mars, so it was interesting to see how different things are here. I also stopped by a couple shrines on my way back, and ended up having a long talk with a monk I met there."

"Really? I didn't know you were religious."

"The topic never came up," he said with a shrug. She chuckled to herself, and the soft sound made him perk up his head.

"No offence, but I wouldn't take you to be someone that's deeply involved in spirituality." He understood what she meant so he nodded, but his mood became a bit more serious as he took another sip of sake before replying.

"Well, sometimes there's more to a people than you think."

His words had the effect he wanted. The mechanic sat up straighter, her thin eyebrows raised ever so slightly and she locked her eyes with his. All her attention was on him and for a moment it was just the two of them in the restaurant, the sentence he had spoken hovering between them.

"Would you like a refill, sir?" piped a airy voice beside Miroku, startling the two out of their state. Beside him stood the waitress again, a large jug in hand, her hips cocked to the side seductively. Her sudden presence annoyed him, though he couldn't understand why.

"Yes. Of course."

The young girl narrowed her crystalline blue eyes on Sango before turning back to Miroku, a vibrant smile flashed directly at him.

"Here you go, sir," she said as she fluttered her thick eyelashes, and then bent over to fill his glass in front of him. Her low cut shirt shifted, revealing to him the swelling tops of her breasts. His eyes settled there; oddly, she didn't seem as annoying anymore.

"Why thank you. You know, I don't think I've ever had such a excellent service before. Or such a beautiful server," he commented with a wink. The girl giggled at the comment, boosting his ego slightly. Across the table Sango groaned and slumped further into her seat, and Miroku was reminded of his companion. "Miss, if you don't mind, my friend here would also like to order."

"Oh, your _friend_? Of course," her attitude towards the mechanic changing at his title for her. She took Sango's order, flipping her hair and questioning her side dish of choice with a perky voice. Once everything had been jotted into the datapad, the waitress gave Miroku a last glance and wink before walking away to another table.

He watched as she left, his eyes languidly taking in her form, the soft curves at the base of her neck, her waist and her ass.

"So why do you do it?" Sango asked, breaking him out of his daze.

"Do what?" He rubbed the back of his neck, the ends of his untied hair tickling the back of his hand.

"You know, the flirting, groping, winking, leering, etc."

_That's simple. _"Because I'm a guy."

That prompted an eye-roll from the mechanic. "I work with guys all day, everyday, and I've never seen one act quite like you."

"So I'm special?" he asked with a suggestive grin.

"If you mean _special_ as in 'needing-some-serious-psychiatric-intervention special', then yes, you are."

"If feels nice to be special," he said, ignoring her sarcasm. She rolled her eyes again and then took to watching the people around her with mild interest. Her brown orbs danced over the tables next to them, sometimes settling one a person for a while and then moving on to the next.

That moment, no more than ten minutes ago, when she looked straight into his eyes, he felt like she was truly looking at him. Or inside him. He couldn't tell which it felt more like; it felt nice all the same. There was a silent voice coming from within him, calling to her, wanting her to look at him again. But she didn't hear it.

The dark haired man looked down into his cup, swirling it so that the amber liquid just barely reached the rim. "I like the attention," he confessed. "I like getting a reaction from people."

Sango blinked, her attention straying from the other diners. "That's it?" He nodded.

"So... you like getting smacked?" she questioned, a hint of teasing in her words.

"I rarely get hit." A sly grin quirked at his lips.

"That's a surprise," she muttered under his breath; he couldn't tell if he was meant to hear that or not. "Well, do you mind backing it off for a while, Romeo?" A seriousness had returned to her voice.

"Jealous?"

She shot him a dead pan look. "Hardly."

"Then why do you care?"

"Because we have a job to do, and you can't get yourself into trouble before we leave," she demanded, and then her features softened when her words hit her. Her gaze fell to her lap, and it was plain to Miroku what she feeling; it was all written in her eyes. Even if he couldn't see the pain there, he'd understand anyway because he felt the exact same way.

"I don't want to do it," she whispered, and her words resounded louder in his ears than any other sound in the noisy restaurant.

It. The Senate's orders. Taking an innocent girl to her death. He didn't want to do it either. He felt as if he was holding a gun directly to her head; taking her to the Med Base was an indirect method, but in the end he still would have taken part in her death.

When he first got his orders, he was disgusted, but he managed to push the churning feeling away. A few days passed and he was boarding Inuyasha's ship, and he still locked away his conscience. Today it weighed down on him though, invading his thoughts at random moments, a fresh wave of guilt washing over him each time. He didn't want to admit it to anyone, but he was scared. There was no way he could live with himself afterwards.

"Neither do I." _But we don't have a choice._

A heavy silence fell about the pair, chocking out any words of comfort they wanted to give each other. Miroku watched the emotions swirling behind the mechanic's eyes, her lips drawn down in a frown. He wanted more than ever for her to smile; she was pretty when she smiled.

"May I?" Sango asked quietly, nodding to the untouched glass of water he got when he first sat down. He nodded, pushing it over to her.

An idea came to mind suddenly - a way to make her smile, or laugh - but it was risky. Knowing now that Sango wouldn't hesitate to give him a good whack upside the head, he would be risking getting a bruise or two. Another glance at her lost expression, and something told him it would be worth it.

He grabbed her free hand, the other still holding the glass of water to her lips as she drank. When he slowly rubbed his thumb over the soft skin on the back of her hand, her brows drew together in confusion. He leaned forward a little, his eyes locking with her for a tense moment before he spoke.

"Would you bear my child?"

Sango choked. Yanking her hand out of his grasp, she clamped it to her mouth to prevent the water from spraying out.

He laughed. "I've never had a reaction like that before!" His laughter quickly died off though when he noticed she wasn't smiling...in fact, it was quite the opposite. Her face flushed a tomato red - but he was sure it wasn't _just_ because she had been choking.

"Not. Funny." she finally gritted out between clenched teeth.

"Actually it-" She kicked him hard under the table. "- you're right. Not funny. Ah look, the food's here. " The waitress had returned, a small robotic cart trailing behind her with their plates of food. As she placed them in front of the pair Miroku didn't bother to make eye contact with the blonde, instead wincing as his rubbed his abused shin under the table.

Sango huffed, a look of pure annoyance on her face. Focusing her attention on the food in front of her, she began to eat, refusing to look in his direction. And though he wasn't meant to see it, the small smile that crept onto her lips for less than a second made Miroku's heart feel a little lighter.

-----------------

Kagome held her hand inches from the door, hesitating over her earlier decision. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, when she was lonely and bored out of her mind... but now she wasn't so sure. Did she really want to face Inuyasha's wrath? He _had_ told her to stay in her room and not leave under any circumstances, so it was likely that when he found her at his door, he'd probably haul her off to her room again. But then... maybe he wouldn't. It was hard to predict how he would react; she hadn't been around him very long.

Biting her lip, she made up her mind. Her finger pressed the buzzer twice, and then she waited. She stood motionless for a few moments as she waited, but when she continued to hear nothing but silence she pressed the buzzer again. Another moment later she heard a shuffling on the other side of the door, and then it slid open suddenly.

Inuyasha stood in the doorframe, a crisp white towel draped over his head, covering his ears and most of his damp hair. Immediately Kagome felt sheepish when she realized that she had interrupted his shower, but her eyes unconsciously followed the shiny silver strands that fell down his shoulders, captivated by the way they caught the light and seemed to glow on their own. When her eyes continued their path and she registered his bare chest, her eyes immediately flicked back up his face where she forced them to stay. Furiously she fought the blush rising to her cheeks, hoping he didn't notice where her eyes had strayed. She'd seen a guy's chest before, but never a stranger's...

But at least he was wearing pants and not just boxers...then she'd be really red.

"Hey," she finally managed to say, after getting her embarrassment under control.

His dark brows drew together in the familiar scowl, his eyes piercing her through and through. "What are you doing here?"

"I got bored," she replied, trying to sound casual though his gaze was making her slightly uncomfortable. "It's a little lonely sitting in a room all by myself. I needed some human interaction."

"I'm not human."

"You'll do just fine," she said dryly, ignoring the fact that his statement was obviously meant to make her leave. He crossed his arms over her chest and cocked his head to the side, as if considering what she had just said. The action reminded her off a puppy that she saw at a pet shop back home, but Inuyasha looked nothing like a puppy at the moment... except for his hidden ears.

She smiled genuinely at him, and after a few tense moments later he stepped aside.

-----------------

She walked passed him, her head tilting this way and that as she studied her surroundings. Inuyasha's fists clenched unconsciously. _The one person I'm trying to forget show up at my door. Just my luck._ But then remembering what she had said about being bored and lonely, he tried to let his irritation go. Maybe he'd been a little harsh condemning her to her room all day; but it had been the best idea at the time.

He retrieved his shirt from where he left it on the floor and tugged it over his head, his damp hair clinging to the back of his neck.

"Nice room," she commented lamely, continuing to walk around the spacious interior, her fingers tracing over desk tops and the backs of chairs.

"Yeah."

"It's different than mine."

"Really," he replied, uninterested. Heading back to the bathroom, he grabbed a brush and began to pull it through the tangled strands of hair. Meanwhile, Kagome made herself somewhat comfortable on one of the chairs in the room, leaning back into the seat, her hands folded neatly in her lamp. There were a few minutes of awkward silence before she spoke again.

"You're wearing your old clothes."

"Yeah. So?" Out of the corner of his eye he could see her shrug.

"I dunno. I just thought that maybe you were offered some new clothes too."

He snorted. "I was, but I don't take freebies from the wolf."

"Oh," Kagome muttered, and then fell silent again. The only sound that filled the room was the crackle of the brush every time it hit a knot; it made Inuyasha uncomfortable, not only because the silence was strained, but also because he couldn't find anything to say to fill the void. His experience with friendly conversation to people was, well...limited. Being a hanyou, the less people he came in contact with, the less chance there was of someone finding out his secret.

He racked his brain for a subject that didn't sound too random, settling on one that sounded decent enough.

"Tell me about your family," he said, looking over to where she sat. At his words the girl perked up, a small smile lighting up her face and reflecting the happiness in her eyes. He almost breathed an audible sigh of relief when she didn't question his comment.

"Well, I live at home with my mom, my grandpa and my little brother Souta. He can be a bit of a brat sometimes, but he's fun to have around. Sometimes I play VR games with him, but he always kicks my butt; he plays them all the time. Grandpa's getting a little senile in his old age, spouting off tales about legends from thousands of years ago. Once in a while he tells a really interesting one though, and then I have dreams about demon lords and priestesses. And Mom, she has to be one of the most understanding people in the world..." She continued on, and for some reason Inuyasha couldn't tear his gaze away from her.

Something about the cheerful rise and fall of her voice, the way she gestured with her hands, the tiny sparkle behind her eyes... it mesmerized him. He couldn't hear the words passing her lips now, too focused on the warmth she seemed to emit unintentionally. When she giggled at something she recalled Inuyasha almost laughed with her, swept up in the genuine sound of happiness, but stopped himself before the sound left his throat.

_What the fuck do you think you're doing?! She's the cargo! You shouldn't even be talking to her right now._

Coming to his senses again, Inuyasha suppressed a growl and turned back to the mirror in front of him, roughly pulling back his hair to tie it back. When he noticed Kagome had stopped talking seconds later, he paused and turned to see why she was silent again. She was staring back at him, her head cocked to the side in a thoughtful manner.

"What?"

"It looks better down," she said simply, pointing to his hand that held an elastic band.

"Keh." He tied his hair back anyway, ignoring her momentary frown.

"Anyways," she started again, her voice becoming a little less vibrant than before. "I miss them all so much."

Her words tugged at something in him, a sort of feeling that he didn't want to let escape where he buried it away. He left the bathroom and headed across the room to near where she sat.

"So... why am I here?"

"I thought Sango already explained that to you." Flopping down on the bed, he stretched and then brought his arms behind his head like a pillow. From where he lay he couldn't see her troubled expression; exactly his reason for laying there.

"Well she did...sorta."

"So then, why are you asking if you know?" He lifted his head to give her a pointed glare but she didn't seem to catch on that he didn't want to talk about it. That he couldn't talk about it.

"I said 'sorta'. I don't know everything." She paused, studying his face as if to gauge his possible reaction to her next question. "Where are you taking me?"

"Why do you care?" he snapped gruffly, almost whacking himself upside the head for blurting out such a stupid question, but nothing else seemed to come to him.

Kagome also seemed to think it was a stupid question.

"Because this is my life we're talking about! I think I have a right to know! Besides, I think I've handled everything pretty well so far, considering." She jumped up from her chair, startling Inuyasha into the sitting position. In a few quick steps she stood in front of him, her hands fisted at her side, her lips curling in frustration.

"I've done what you told me to do! I haven't asked questions until now, so why can't you just tell me?" The waves of anger rolled over her and then washed onto him, seeping into his body. The more she yelled, the more irritated he got, and the less patience he had.

"Or is this some sort of sick joke to you?! You kidnap me and then act like it's nothing out of the ordinary, and I'm supposed to go along with it? Is that it?! You're all a bunch of -"

"You want to know where we're taking you? Do you really?!" He stood up now, towering over the angry girl, looking down into her focused brown eyes. Irritation buzzed through his body, snapping the thin threads that held his patience together. "We're taking you to have your memories erased."

His words must have hit her like a ton of bricks because she stumbled backwards. Disbelief marred her features now, her brows quirking together in a confused stare. "And that energy inside you, it's dangerous."

She shook her head; he nodded his. "We're taking you to have your memories erased because you're dangerous. People from the _government_ took you from your home and brought you to my brother because he ran underground shipments. You're a fucking piece of _cargo_, got that?!"

The words were leaving his mouth now and he knew that he should shut up, that it was wrong to dump it all on her, but he felt powerless to stop it. She backed up a few steps and he followed her, both of them continuing this way until they stood before the door.

"And because of you my brother, and his company, and all the people working in it got _blown up_! So now all I want to do is drop you off at that fucking base because I don't want to deal with the shit you bring any more."

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish gulping for air, trying to form words to counter him but nothing came. Everything inside him was spilling out; all the events from the past few days, all the emotions he'd locked away so he could get on with what he had to do, all of it was crashing onto the girl. She didn't deserve it, but he couldn't stop.

"They won't kill you, but with your memories gone you'll be as good as dead. To them, you're just another freak to experiment on."

She shook her head, as if trying to rid his words from her memory.

"That's the way it has to be," he finished stoically, betraying his emotions that were tearing him apart inside. He didn't want it to be this way. He didn't want her to be seen the same way he was. It wasn't something he'd wish on anyone.

"I'm not dangerous..." She bowed her head, her neat bangs falling over her eyes; he was grateful he didn't have to see the pain there. Silently she opened the door and walked out, the door sliding shut behind her so that she was no longer visible to him though he could see her clearly in his mind. Her slumped shoulders; her quivering lower lip; her eyes so full of emotions he couldn't even begin to describe.

Inuyasha slumped into a nearby chair with his fists clenched tightly, upset at his own stupidity.

_You're dangerous...just like me..._

----------------

The door closing silently behind her, Kagome stumbled down the hallway back to her room. The numb ache that had taken over her body suddenly shattered, tears flowing down her cheeks as she upped her pace to an awkward jog. Inuyasha's words echoed in her head; she wanted to reach inside herself and pull out those words from her memory forever. They weren't true. She wasn't dangerous.

Once behind the shelter of her closed door, she mentally cursed herself for being so stupid and persistent, for wanting to know the truth. Because now that she knew, what good did it do her?

She slumped to the floor, leaning against the locked door as she curled up within herself, trying to dispel the stab of betrayal she felt. But who had betrayed her? Sango had been kind, but she never lied about the situation. Miroku hadn't been seen all day, and Inuyasha... she should actually be thanking him for bringing everything to light. For letting her realize how foolish she'd been, how naive. Acting like nothing was wrong, like being kidnapped was an everyday occurrence for her.

The only person who betrayed her was herself.

She whimpered and buried her face in her hands; she'd never felt more hopeless in her whole life. More than ever she just wanted to be home, living her normal life with her family and friends back on Earth. She wanted it all to just be a bad dream.

The curtain on her open window blew violently with a howling wind, instantly sobering the girl.

She lifted her head from her hands, her eyes narrowing in on the billowing folds of the fabric. _I don't remember opening that..._

Kagome stood upright slowly, wiping her stained cheeks with her sleeve. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck raised as she continued to stare at the fluttering curtain, glimpses of the darkening sky peeking through. Cautiously she took a few steps forward, her heart threatening to pound out of her chest.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a dark figure but was too slow to react. The person grabbed her from behind, tightly wrapping their arms around her chest, almost knocking the wind out of her. Kagome struggled, tried to wrench herself free but the figure's grip held strong. She was half-dragged half-carried closer to the window, and when she tried to scream a damp cloth was shoved in her mouth. Gagging and squirming, silently screaming for someone to save her, she barely noticed the pinprick shot in the side of her neck. Kagome was spun around quickly, her back slamming into the wall before the figure leaned on her, preventing her from moving.

She could feel her grasp on consciousness slipping, darkness appearing at the edge of her vision. The figure in front of her leaned harder, holding the cloth in Kagome's mouth firmly in place. Painted lips smirked as Kagome's struggles became weaker. Her arms and legs tingled, like they had fallen asleep, and soon the odd sensation worked it's way up her spine and into her head.

Her eyesight became dark; the figure in front of her becoming a blur of muted colours. The flapping maroon curtain beside her took the form of a crumpled, bloodied angel's wing, but it wouldn't save her; no one would. Because maybe she was supposed to die anyway.

As Kagome felt herself begin to fall into a realm of pure darkness, the one image that remained engrained in her failing mind, was a pair of blood-red eyes.


End file.
